Jetstar and Qantas Staff Strike Across Australian Airports

Approximately 1,000 Jetstar customer service staff and 500 Qantas ground crew members launched coordinated industrial actions across major Australian airports starting September 23, 2026. The strikes occurred during a peak travel window involving school holidays and the AFL and NRL grand finals.

Jetstar employees in Cairns, Gold Coast, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Avalon, and Adelaide continued working but refused to collect extra passenger fees. This resulted in the waiver of charges for excess baggage, seat selection, and late fees. The Australian Services Union is demanding wage increases aligned with other Qantas Group employees, improved shift penalties, and stronger job security.

Simultaneously, ground workers from Qantas subsidiaries, including QGS, AAE, and QantasLink, walked off the job for 24 hours in Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane, and Perth. At Sydney Airport, up to 400 Certis security staff conducted two separate two-hour stoppages. The Transport Workers’ Union criticized Qantas for splintering its workforce into subsidiaries to lower wages, calling for a reset on pay and safety.

Jetstar and Qantas both asserted that contingency plans would prevent operational delays. However, Sydney Airport acknowledged potential disruptions, and passenger standstills were reported at Terminal 3. In Melbourne, officials attributed long queues to holiday travel and the AFL grand final rather than the industrial action.