Hundreds of Qantas ground workers are on a 24-hour strike today, Wednesday 28 October, at five major airports — Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth. If you are flying today, the short answer is reassuring: Qantas says no passenger flights have been affected so far, and all QantasLink services out of Sydney departed on time this morning. Still, it is worth checking your flight before you leave for the airport, especially if you are on a regional QantasLink service from Sydney. You can check your flight’s live status on Qantas flight status.
Who is striking and why
The workers taking part are ground staff employed across three Qantas subsidiaries — Qantas Airways Limited (QAL), Qantas Ground Services (QGS) and Australian Air Express (AAE). Their jobs include moving freight, including for Australia Post, and supporting QantasLink passenger operations in Sydney.
The Transport Workers’ Union (TWU) says the workers are the last remaining Qantas ground staff after around 1,800 workers were outsourced in 2020 — outsourcing the courts later found unlawful. The union’s claims are straightforward: pay in line with industry standards after what it calls a decade of wage suppression, more full-time jobs and guaranteed hours, and bringing the scattered workforce back under one Qantas banner.
The union also links the split structure to safety, pointing to the death of a Qantas freight worker on Father’s Day in 2025, which remains under SafeWork investigation. TWU national secretary Michael Kaine said workers were striking because the alternative was “an industry of dangerously unsafe standards for them and passengers”.
Which flights are actually affected
This is where the detail matters, because the strike does not hit every Qantas flight:
- Qantas domestic and international flights: not handled by the striking workers, so not directly affected.
- QantasLink outside Sydney: also not handled by these workers.
- QantasLink services from Sydney: the one passenger area touched by the action — check your flight status before travelling.
- Qantas Freight: the main area affected, so parcels and cargo may move more slowly today.
As of 9am today, Qantas reported 100 per cent of QantasLink services departing Sydney on time, and said contingency plans were in place. A Qantas spokesperson said: “We are aware of planned industrial action by some of our freight and regional workgroups in Sydney and we have contingency plans in place. Importantly there will be no disruption to our customers.”
That said, strikes can have knock-on effects as the day goes on, so a quick status check is still the sensible move — particularly for afternoon and evening regional departures.
What Qantas has offered
Qantas says it has put a new agreement directly to Qantas Ground Services staff, with pay rises of up to 26 per cent over the life of the agreement and back pay to September 2025. The airline says it remains committed to reaching agreements that deliver substantial pay increases. The union, meanwhile, says the offer does not fix the deeper issues of full-time work and the split employment structure.
This is not the first stoppage in the dispute: ground staff struck alongside Sydney Airport security screeners in September, and the action comes as Virgin Australia cabin crew prepare to vote on their own industrial action over pay and fatigue ahead of the holiday season.
What to do if your flight is delayed or cancelled
If you are flying QantasLink from Sydney today, or you have a connection that depends on one, here is a simple plan:
1. Check before you leave home
Check your flight status on the Qantas website or app, and watch for text or email updates from Qantas. If your flight is showing on time, head to the airport as normal — arriving early does not help if the flight itself is fine.
2. If your flight is delayed
Stay in touch with Qantas through the app or airport staff rather than queuing at a desk straight away. Keep receipts for any meals or essentials you buy because of a long delay — they can matter if you later claim costs.
3. If your flight is cancelled
Under Qantas’ conditions of carriage, if the airline makes a significant change to your flight it will rebook you on the next available flight to your destination at no extra cost. If no rebooking suits you, you are generally entitled to a refund of your fare. Do not accept a travel credit if you would rather have a refund — ask directly for the refund option.
4. Know your broader rights
Under the Australian Consumer Law, services must be provided with due care and skill and within a reasonable time. If Qantas cancels your flight and cannot offer an acceptable alternative, you are entitled to a refund. If you believe you were not treated fairly, you can complain to Qantas first, then escalate to the Airline Customer Advocate or your state or territory fair trading agency.
5. Check your travel insurance
If you have travel insurance, a delay or cancellation may be claimable — particularly extra accommodation or meal costs. Keep your boarding pass, receipts and any messages from Qantas as evidence.
The bottom line
Today’s Qantas strike is real, but its direct impact on passengers looks limited: freight and some Sydney QantasLink ground work, not the main domestic or international network. Qantas says there has been no disruption so far, and Sydney QantasLink departures were all on time this morning. If you are on a regional flight out of Sydney, check your status before you go. If your flight is cancelled, remember you can ask to be rebooked free of charge or request a refund rather than a credit.
