Qantas cabin crew push for rest breaks on 20-hour flights

Qantas cabin crew push for rest breaks on 20-hour flights highlights an industrial dispute tied to Qantas’s Project Sunrise, its plan for the world’s longest non-stop commercial flights linking Sydney with London and New York. The Flight Attendants Association (FAAA) has entered enterprise bargaining with Qantas, seeking a minimum of two four-hour rest breaks on flights longer than 20 hours. FAAA spokesperson Teri O’Toole argues cabin crew are being pressured to negotiate safety protections that do not currently exist in CASA rules, noting pilots have rest provisions while crew do not. Qantas cabin crew executive manager Dan Dihen says the airline’s A350 design would include dedicated rest areas and more than two days off in New York and London, plus four days off at home after each return trip. CASA said it will consider tightening cabin crew fatigue regulations after a post-implementation review of pilot fatigue rules.