Qantas is threatening to draft pilots from a Chinese airline to fly non-stop from Australia to New York and London as it battles militant strike action. The flying kangaroo carrier last year successfully trialled three 19-hour flights direct to Sydney from the United States and the UK. It wants to offer non-stop flights from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane to New York and London on board new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners. Qantas is threatening to draft pilots living overseas to fly non-stop from Australia to New York and London as the airline battles strike action. While that is significantly higher than the 2.2 per cent pay rise for Australian workers last year, the TWU argued the 2016 pay freeze had squeezed their earnings.

Source: Daily Mail February 21, 2020 01:59 UTC