Criminal proceedings against Australian flag carrier Qantas Airways were initiated on Sunday in the District Court of the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW). The case in question has to do with the airline violating the Work Health and Safety (WHS) Act by failing to provide proper cleaning equipment to employees. It is the first of its kind in Australia and could result in damages of up to $600,000.
Theo Seremetidis
Among the many people implicated in the case is former Qantas employee Theo Seremetidis. Mr. Seremetidis worked as an aircraft cleaner for the airline for 7 years before he was wrongfully terminated for advising workers that it was well within their rights to stop working when the carrier failed to provide its employees with proper personal protective equipment (PPE) and disinfectant.
The incident took place in February of 2020 at a time when there was no preventative or reactive treatment to Covid-19 and hospitals were starting to become overwhelmed by the sheer number of patients suffering from the disease. Well over two years later, Mr. Seremetidis is back to claim his damages; this time, he also has the backing of the Australian Transport Workers' Union (TWU).
Not an isolated incident
Unfortunately, the incident with Mr. Seremetidis isn't an isolated one. In fact, it is just one of many instances in which the airline has failed to provide its workers with the proper equipment that they need to do their job, ultimately demonstrating a blatant disregard for their health and safety as well as the health and safety of its passengers on those flights that are serviced by planes that were not cleaned and disinfected properly.
To this day, the carrier has yet to produce any evidence that it provided its employees with PPE, disinfectant, or any other materials that they might have needed.
A damaged reputation
Regardless of whether or not the District Court of NSW rules against Qantas, the incident with Mr. Seremetidis and the fact that the airline has failed to produce any evidence of providing its workers with proper equipment to this day has, without a doubt, damaged the carrier's reputation. As demand for travel continues to recover back to pre-pandemic levels, travelers looking to fly to and within Australia will be keen to know is properly disinfecting its aircraft for its passengers.
And in Australia, there are plenty of options: for domestic travel, customers can choose from Virgin Australia, Jetstar, and Rex, while international travel to Australia is serviced by over 30 airlines, including United and Emirates, among others.
If the court does end up siding against Qantas, it will mark a historical moment for the aviation industry and signal to other airlines that the government of Australia is indeed very serious about making sure that they follow its health and safety regulations. A verdict is expected within two weeks, but regardless of the outcome, the harm to Qantas’ reputation will not be easily undone.