16 June 2025: The Australian Federation of Air Pilots (AFAP) supports Virgin Australia’s plans to increase the airline’s fleet size and expand flight networks while committing to working with management to help prepare for the re-listing of the airline on the Australian Stock Exchange next week.
The AFAP also welcomes the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission approval of an “integrated alliance” with Qatar Airways as a path to reintroducing long-haul international flying for Virgin Australia.
The first of these international long-haul flights departed Sydney last Thursday (12 June) bound for Doha.
As outlined in its submission to the ACCC (11 November 2024), the AFAP supports the Qatar wet-lease arrangement as a temporary mechanism through which Virgin can demonstrate the business case for operating its own wide body aircraft in the future.
“Our members welcome planned new routes between Australia and Doha, including the commencement of Virgin Australia’s daily scheduled flights from Brisbane, Perth and Sydney to Doha from this month, followed by Melbourne to Doha in December 2025,” said AFAP Vice-President Michael McGinnis.
“This return to wide-body flying utilising aircraft wet-leased from Qatar Airways has the potential to offer our pilot members additional opportunities to operate aircraft on these new international routes.”
“While at first this will be through secondments to Qatar Airways, we look forward to hopefully moving to an insourcing model where this flying will eventually be carried out by Virgin Australia’s own pilots and cabin crew.”
“The AFAP looks forward to continuing to work productively with Virgin as it embarks on this new phase of the company’s growth following the ASX listing.”
“The AFAP also welcomes the employee share scheme that will see Virgin pilots receive $3000 worth of share rights. This recognises that Virgin pilots were key in helping to rebuild the airline into the success that it is today.
Background:
Virgin Australia is planning to return to the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX). Its owner Bain Capital has converted the airline’s structure into a public company ahead of a planned ASX listing on 24 June under the ticket code VGN.
New investors will hold 30.2% of shares on issue, with the remainder being held by existing investors, which include Bain Capital, Qatar Airways Group, Virgin Group and Queensland Investment Corporation.
On 28 March 2025, the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) issued a final determination granting authorisation for Virgin Australia and Qatar Airways to engage in cooperative conduct under an integrated alliance for a period of 5 years, until 23 April 2030.
In October 2024, Virgin Australia pilots voted overwhelmingly in favour of a new enterprise agreement that delivers substantial improvements to their pay and working conditions, following 15 months of complex negotiations led by the Australian Federation of Air Pilots (AFAP).
With more than 850 members employed by Virgin Australia, the Australian Federation of Air Pilots represents the majority of the airline’s pilot workforce. The Federation has negotiated every enterprise agreement at Virgin Australia since the airline began operations in 2000.
With almost 6000 members, the Australian Federation of Air Pilots (AFAP) is the largest professional association and industrial organisation for commercial pilots in Australia.
The AFAP has represented and promoted the interests of Australian professional pilots and championed the highest possible standards of aviation safety since 1938.