Qantas issues statement on safety

SYDNEY – The CEO of Qantas, Geoff Dixon, yesterday said that some people might be concerned that the airline had “taken our eye off the ball” following recent operational incidents and industrial actions.

“Qantas continues to have a world class safety record - its safety record is second to none - and we remain the safest airline in the world,” Dixon said.

“All of us at Qantas are disappointed at the number of recent incidents. We do not step away from the fact that the incident on QF30 was very serious, and we don't step away from the fact that the recent industrial action did, and still is, affecting our operational performance,” he said.

Dixon said that while the airline acknowledges the “seriousness of the incident in Manila, the other issues that have been reported include a huge range of engineering matters that all airlines routinely deal with”.

He said Qantas has cancelled some flights, substituted aircraft and delayed some passengers, just as every airline does. “What we have not done, and will never do, is operate an aircraft that is not safe to fly.”

Dixon said Qantas spends A$1.44 billion (about US$1.26 billion) a year on maintenance.

“We have very few incidents, but it is how we respond to such incidents, either big or small, that matters. As was seen with the QF30 incident, our staff did what they were trained to do, and did it superbly. They were professional and above all they put our customers' safety first,” Dixon explained.

“Our safety standards and the quality of our maintenance have not changed.”