Qantas settles in age discrimination case

Qantas has settled one of multiple active age discrimination cases taken out against it after two months of mediation, for an undisclosed amount. The Australian revealed Captain Andrew Hewitt was among the 55 Qantas pilots offered an early retirement package last year at the age of 63, in light of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the airline. A long-haul captain and career Boeing 747 pilot, Captain Hewitt had risen to number four on the airline’s seniority list for its long-haul operations when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, having been with Qantas for 40 years. Qantas argued that its long-haul operations will likely not return to full capacity until Captain Hewitt is over the age of 65, at which point he would no longer be allowed to operate overseas commercial flights, under international civil aviation rules. Captain Hewitt then became one of just four of the 55 people offered early retirement to refuse the deal, and ultimately fought Qantas in the Federal Court of New South Wales, alleging age discrimination. Hewitt argued that an early retirement package left him far worse off than the redundancy packages offered to younger pilots, with his package offering four months pay as opposed to 12 months. The matter has now been settled between the two parties for an undisclosed amount, after being filed with the Federal Court in February.<br/>