QPC Briefing No. 41 2026
EA11 In Principle Agreement
Today, the AFAP, AIPA and Qantas formalised the in-principle agreement (IPA) on the proposed EA11. The AFAP QPC Committee has unanimously endorsed the package and will be recommending members vote yes.
The package represents the substantial progress through negotiation since the April proposal was rejected by 66% of pilots.
That outcome also validates the position taken by the AFAP in April. We recommended a no vote because we believed the proposal fell short of the priorities pilots had consistently identified and that there remained genuine scope to negotiate a better agreement. That is what has now occurred.
We are also pleased that AIPA shares the view that further bargaining has culminated in an improved package.
The important question is whether the overall package addresses the priorities and concerns identified by the pilot group and represents the best value reasonably achievable for pilots in the current industrial environment.
Following the rejection of the April proposal, the AFAP undertook two detailed surveys to better understand why pilots voted against it and what changes they wanted pursued through further bargaining.
In particular, pilots told us that the April proposal did not adequately address blank-line issues; involved too many concessions for the pay uplift being offered; introduced unnecessary structural changes to existing pay systems; delivered a significant component of 787 pay through night credits rather than the existing pay structure; and did not sufficiently address Second Officer pay disparity.
Those priorities formed the basis of the AFAP’s bargaining position and the IPA represents improvements in each of these priority areas for pilots. Pilots will now vote on an improved package and control the next steps, which we view as preferable to the alternative pathways available.
Reaching an in-principle agreement means the parties have agreed on the substantive terms of the proposed EA11. The next step is to finalise the drafting of the agreement before it is put to a vote of the pilot group, who will ultimately determine whether the agreement is approved.
Key Terms of the IPA
Pay structure
- A330 and A380 retain the existing EA10 pay structure.
- The April pay restructuring and associated potential “snap-back” following category changes are removed for these fleets.
- C scale pilots receive materially larger increases to reduce the existing disparity, putting B and C Scale on substantially similar pay.
- Introduction of fleet pay with A350 aligning with the existing EA10 B787 model rather than the April proposal.
- A350 and B787 maximum surge divisors reduce by five hours.
- Reduced A350 planning and surge divisors mean slightly lower maximum rostered credit hours than under EA10.
- A new long-range AFDP provides an overtime mechanism for qualifying Project Sunrise flying.
- Most of the uplift is delivered through higher hourly rates, with a smaller component through new blank-line payments.
Overall pay increases
The hourly rate increases in the EA are:
- 3 % backdated to 13 July 2026;
- 8.1% on commencement of LHEA11 from the first full bid period or the 28th December 2026 whichever is earlier;
- 3% on 1 July 2027;
- 3% on 1 July 2028;
- 3% on 1 July 2029; and
- 4% on 1 July 2030.
For C Scale Second Officers, please note the increase on commencement of the first full bid period ranges from 16-25%.
Overall remuneration increases across the different categories for the 6.5 years to the expected expiry of EA11, including the period since EA10 expired in April 2024 are as follows:
- 28.4% - A380 Captain / FO / Legacy SO
- 43.6% - A380 C Scale SO
- 29.2% - A350 Captain / FO
- 38.8% - A350 SO
- 29.0% - B787 Captain / FO / SO
- 28.8% - A330 Captain / FO / Legacy SO
- 44.0% - A330 C Scale SO
The figures above are based on common assumptions to account for variable components of the agreement. There will be some variation based on the exact expiry date of EA11. Individual outcomes will also vary depending on rosters, blank lines, standbys and Sunrise flying.
Blank-Line Reform
Blank lines were identified as the number one issue in the AFAP post-vote surveys. The complexity of a complete ‘fix’ led the AFAP to adopt a two-staged approach. The first step involves immediate improvements that aim to make the current system slightly more palatable and provide incentives around standbys.
Immediate improvements include:
- Divisor pay replacing Minimum Guaranteed Hours on a blank line;
- Plus 12 hours passive payment for holding a blank line;
- Plus 30 minutes additional passive payment per standby;
- New High-Priority Duty-Free Days; and
- Guaranteed access to Golden Leave Days while on a blank line
The measures are intended to improve compensation and predictability while longer-term reform is developed.
A new Blank-Line Working Group, supported by a clause in the EA, will develop, model and test alternative systems during the life of the EA with the objective of having a new model developed for consideration ahead of EA12.
Concessions removed or modified from the April Proposal
Member feedback following the April vote was clear that a number of the proposed concessions were either unnecessary or went too far.
The AFAP secured the removal of a number of concessions pilots identified as particularly objectionable. These changes include:
- Simulator support from standby removed.
- Proposed 15–4 hour contactability changes removed.
First Class Duty Travel
While pilots generally recognised the Company’s concerns regarding First Class capacity on Project Sunrise aircraft, there was significant resistance to what many pilots regarded as an unnecessarily broad removal of existing First Class duty travel entitlements in the April proposal.
The AFAP therefore sought to substantially narrow the concession.
Under the IPA:
- Existing EA10 First Class entitlements remain on the current A380.
- Revised arrangements apply principally to Project Sunrise aircraft and future aircraft with more than six First Class seats.
- Within 72 hours of departure, crew may be confirmed in Business Class with an upgrade to First Class where available (in a/c with more than six First Class seats).
- Lie-flat duty travel protections have been strengthened, including clearer operational disruption provisions.
This represents a significant reduction in the scope of the concession contained in the April proposal.
Miscellaneous Items
Modified Blank-Line A-Day Contact Windows
- Early PM window: 1500–1800
- Late PM window: 1800–2100, with no sign-on before 1000 the following day
- Pilots therefore retain the option of no contactability after 1800 or, alternatively, protection from an early sign-on the following morning.
- Intended to particularly assist east-coast commuters. While we sought to provide assistance for Perth-based commuters the company strongly resisted suggested changes.
Reduction in Numbers (RIN)
With the retirement of the A380 and A330 fleets approaching over the coming years, the treatment of pilots subject to a Reduction in Numbers (RIN) has received considerable attention during negotiations.
Our focus has been on limiting the financial disadvantage that can arise when pilots are required by the Company to change category.
Under the IPA:
- Pilots RIN’d onto the A350 or B787 who move up a category enter at Year 2 of the applicable scale.
- Pilots moving down a category enter at Year 4.
- Changes for Legacy Second Officers who are affected by the RIN providing pay protection based on the median pay in their pre-RIN category.
What happens next
The AFAP, AIPA and Qantas will begin drafting immediately and will establish an indicative timeline for when drafting can be completed and the final proposed agreement put to the pilot group for a vote.
We note that members provided significant feedback regarding the length of the drafting process that preceded the April proposal.
The AFAP’s involvement in the drafting process will be led by our experienced Legal and Industrial staff, who have more than 30 years of combined experience negotiating and drafting pilot enterprise agreements.
We will provide further detailed information on the key elements of the IPA over the coming weeks. Once drafting is complete, members will also receive a comprehensive explanatory document setting out the final terms of the proposed agreement.
The AFAP Negotiating Team and QPC Committee have assessed this package against the mandate pilots provided through the post-vote surveys: pay structure, blank-line reform, First Class protections, the C scale disparity and the overall quantum of concessions.
On each of those measures, the package is materially better than the proposal rejected in April.
That is important. The April vote was not a rejection of ever reaching an agreement with the Company. Rather it was a rejection of that specific agreement. The AFAP’s position was that pilots could do better by continuing to negotiate. The package now before us demonstrates that assessment was correct.
The QPC Committee has therefore unanimously endorsed the IPA and your AFAP pilot representatives will be recommending a Yes vote.
Ultimately, however, the decision rests with pilots.
We will continue providing members with the detail necessary to make an informed assessment. We encourage pilots to examine that information carefully rather than simply relying on the characterisation of the agreement by either Union or the Company.
The question pilots will ultimately be asked to decide is whether the substantial improvements secured since April should now be banked through a negotiated agreement, or whether rejecting those outcomes in favour of the uncertain alternatives is likely to produce something better.
Your AFAP team will ensure we continue to provide you with all relevant information to assist you in making the best informed decision.
Questions and Feedback
If you have any questions or further feedback, please contact your AFAP Qantas Pilot Council representatives at qpc@afap.org.au, or the AFAP Legal and Industrial team:
Executive Director Simon Lutton – simon@afap.org.au
Senior Legal/Industrial Officer Patrick Larkins – patrick@afap.org.au
Senior Legal/Industrial Officer Deanna Cain – deanna@afap.org.au
Regards,
AFAP Qantas Pilot Council
Michael Egan – Chair
Mark Gilmour – Vice-Chair
Rob Close – Secretary
Michael Armessen – Committee Member
David LaPorte – Committee Member
Josh Chalmers – Committee Member
Rob Gilmour – Committee Member