Qantas ends international flights from Adelaide
South Australia’s airline industry has been dealt a major blow with Qantas cutting its only direct international flight out of Adelaide.
From late March, the airline will end its direct flight from Adelaide to Singapore.
It says the route has been draining money, but the Transport Workers Union (TWU) says the flights are full.
“They’re not empty, they’re coming fully loaded,” said Matthew Spring TWU.
Workers are worried they could be the next thing to be cut.
“There will almost certainly be job losses, we just don’t know how many,” Mr Spring said.
Qantas says it is working to improve its international service to Asia, but critics say the cuts are a side-effect of its deal with emirates.
“Qantas needs to explain to all South Australians why it has abandoned Adelaide on international flights,” Independent Senator Nick Xenophon said.
Adelaide Airport says it is disappointed with the Qantas decision, but says other international airlines have been boosting direct flights out of Adelaide.
“Why is it that other countries’ airlines, Singapore, Emirates, a whole range of other airlines, are bringing more and more flights to Adelaide,” Mr Xenophon said.
Tourism Minister Leon Bignell said this afternoon: “I think Qantas’ decision says a lot more about Qantas than it does about Adelaide.”
Qantas says it is considering another a new international flight for South Australia, from Adelaide to Auckland.
