QPC Briefing No. 54 2026
Qantas LHEA11 – Trainer Package
The AFAP made the strategic decision to negotiate the trainer portion of EA11 separately from the remainder of the EA using dedicated trainer representatives. This meant pilots who conduct training and understand the workload and lifestyle impact had direct input in the negotiations.
Ultimately, the final trainer package was then agreed by all parties as part of the overall LHEA11 in principle agreement. This brief summarises the key changes to the trainer package contained within the proposed EA11.
Company goals
The Company entered negotiations with four stated goals:
- Boost productivity to support fleet renewal and introduction;
- Increase flexibility to meet evolving training demands;
- Recognise skills and qualifications across our trainer cohort; and
- Support attraction and retention through competitive pay and flexible work options.
AFAP Members Priorities
Following the April vote, in which 66% of pilots rejected the proposed EA11, the AFAP asked trainers specific questions in our post-vote survey to understand what they wanted to see improved.
From that survey, trainers consistently raised five issues that the AFAP Negotiating team pursued:
- The pay rise to trainers was not seen as ‘value’ as the work required increased too much;
- Increasing the MGH for line pilots, without increasing similarly for trainers, reduced the perceived benefit of being in training roles;
- Increase to Night Credits (for the B787) did not benefit trainers equally;
- Lifestyle stability was impacted too much; and
- Flexibility to increase flying days if desired was not available.
The proposed EA11 package gives trainers flexibility to tailor the mix of ground and flying days, protects trainer income if training workload reduces, and provides substantial pay increases for minimal additional work.
Remuneration
The remuneration elements of the trainer package include increases to percentage uplifts, introduction of additional payments to recognise upskilling and improvements to “elements pay”.
Percentages Additions to Hourly Rate
The percentage additions to hourly rate for training and supervisory pilots will be enhance to better recognise qualifications held, as summarised below:
Second Officers & First Officers
Captains
Introduction of the TRI-CA role
To align with the TACM, the TRI-CA role will be introduced, with duties similar to those of the current TRE role. However, these pilots will not hold an examiner qualification. The TRE role will now be reserved for pilots with the examiner qualification.
Additional Qualifications
The proposed EA11 introduces new additional qualification payment. The additional percentages apply on top of the percentages above where a training supervisory pilot exercises the privilege/s of the following qualifications:
Pay calculations
All administrative and trainer supervisory pilots:
- 170 credit hours per bid period (NB: previously based on 1105 hours per 364 days)
- + Discretionary percentage uplift determined by Qantas;
- + Element 1A;
- + Element 1B;
- +Element 2;
- +Element 5.
TRE, TRI & GOI
- 170 credit hours per bid period
- + payment for Instructor Training Credits (one passive credit hour when delivering training in their Ground training block, subject to availability)
- +payment for additional duties performed during the bid period
- +Element 1A
- +Element 1B
- +Credits for personal training undertaken during the bid period (paid as per line pilots) plus any applicable study allowance
- +Element 5
CAT or TC pilots (on fixed roster lines)
- A CAT or TC on a fixed roster line (or part line for route checking purposes) will the greater of either:
- 170 credit hours each bid period
- +Element 1A
- +Element 1B
- +credits for personal training undertaken plus any applicable study allowance
- +Element 5
OR
- actual earnings calculated as a PLH
Elements Pay
Element 1A
Element 1A remains the same as in EA10.
Element 2
Limited to Administrative Supervisory Pilots.
Element 1B
For administrative supervisory pilots:
For training supervisory pilots the greater of:
- 170 credit hours; or
- the pilots accrued credit hours in the previous bid period (including ‘Instructor Training Credits’) deducted from the average credit hours of all PLHs for the respective category in the previous bid period. There will be no negative adjustments.
Element 5
The calculation for element 5 will be modified to be an annual guaranteed amount equivalent to the average of the top 25% PLHs annual meal and incidental allowances of the respective rank and fleet.
This payment will be reduced by the trainer’s actual allowance (meals + incidentals) received for that financial year. The payment is pro-rated where a pilot holds a supervisory appointment for less than a full financial year. There will be no negative adjustments.
The payment will be made as an annual reconciliation and annual payment no later than October after the financial year ends.
Increased Ground Duty Day Payment
Ground Duty Days (other than personal training) will attract 6 active credit hours, regardless of the duty undertaken (for example presenting a ground course will be paid the same credit hours as conducting a simulator session).
There will also be a 1 hour passive credit for each ground duty worked, where training is delivered (defined as an Instructor Training Credit.”
A proportion of these Credits (6 active, 1 passive) will be guaranteed each line, whether duties are assigned on the days or not[PL1] .
Additional Days Payment
For each additional day worked above a trainer’s set proportion of Ground Duty Days, trainers will be paid the normal credit hours for the duty and an additional 3 passive credit hours.
These are required duty days if rostered but do not reduce your minimum guaranteed days off.
Rostered Additional Days will automatically convert to Ground Duty Days where the planned number of Ground Duty Days for the applicable Ground Block have not yet been worked. For example, if a day of sick leave is taken on a Ground Duty Day a subsequent Rostered Additional Day will be converted.
Briefing Time - Additional Payment for Sim Instructors
The EA10 payment has been altered to provide that where a scheduled promotional or recurrent simulator duty exceeds 5:30 (including the briefing and debriefing time) a pilot will receive a 1:1 passive payment for the time that exceeds 5:30 in addition to the relevant duty payment.
Rostering and Lifestyle
Standardised Work Rules and Improved Protections
Work rules will be aligned across the ground training cohort (encompassing the new roles of TRI-CA and Ground Operations Instructor (GOI)). This means training SOs and FOs will receive overall enhanced conditions and protections, with Type Rated Examiner-like conditions applied to all ground training pilots. This includes flexible work life balance options (see below Variable Work Arrangements).
Restructured Bid Lines & Variable Work Arrangements (TRE, TRI, TSO)
The flexible, restructured bid line system, including enhanced day off arrangements, provides all trainers with lifestyle protections not enjoyed by line pilots.
The EA will contain 29 lines available for a trainer to select. Lines 1-4 and 26-29 will be available only with agreement between the trainer, the Company, the AFAP, and AIPA. Lines 5 to 25 may be selected with agreement between the trainer and the Company.
Each Ground Block (GB) will be built considering the following:
- Training requirements;
- A pilot’s preference for timing within the bid period; and
- Designated duty free day preferences.
A GB may only be split once, except:
- where required to accommodate days for personal training, or
- where agreed with the pilot. unless a pilot and the Company agree otherwise.
Standard Bid Line
The Standard Bid Line will be line 16 (see complete table below) and consist of:
- 28 Day Ground Block (GB)
- Guarantee of 105 Credit Hours made up of:
- 90 Credit Hours(even if a pilot actually works less); and
- 15 Ground Duty Days - each duty day the pilot is available attracts a passive credit of 1 hour;
- 3 Additional Duty Days; and
- 10 Designated Duty Free Days
- 28 Day Flying Block (FB)
- 80 minimum guaranteed credit hours of flying;
- 17 required flying days (may be less may be required if trips are above MDC); and
- 11 Designated Duty Free Days – up to 2 extra DDFDs will be allocated if A days remain after roster build.
Reduced Ground Bid Line
Replacing the current entitlement to rotate to the line once per year, a TRE/TRI/GOI pilot will be entitled to a Reduced Ground Bid Line once every seven bid periods. However, unlike when a pilot currently rotates to the line, a pilot will continue to receive pay and conditions (e.g. elements etc.) as if completing a Standard Bid Line.
The Reduced Bid Line will be line 10 (see complete table below) and consist of:
- 18 Day Ground Block
- Guarantee of 63 Credit Hours made up of:
- 54 Credit Hours (even if a pilot actually works less); and
- 9 Ground Duty Days; each duty day the pilot is available attracts a passive credit of 1 hour
- 3 Additional Duty Days; and
- 6 Designated Duty Free Days
- 38 Day Flying Block (FB)
- 116 minimum guaranteed credit hours of flying;
- 23 available flying days (may be less needed if trips are above MDC); and
- 15 Designated Duty Free Days - up to 2 extra DDFDs will be allocated if A days remain after roster build.
Variable Work Arrangements (TRE, TRI, TSO)
The EA contains 29 bid lines for trainers. Lines 1-4 and 26-29 require agreement with the trainer, the Company, AFAP, and AIPA. Lines 5-25 may be selected with the trainer’s and the Company's agreement.
Line 16 is the Standard Bid Line that is the default for all trainers. Once every seven bid periods trainers are entitled to work a ‘Reduced Ground Bid Line’ of Line 10.
The full set of lines are set out in the table here.
Flying Allocation and Bidding
By default, flying will be allocated for all trainers in the normal bid line allocation process, consistent with the arrangements applicable to line pilots.
Pre-Allocation
To improve fairness in bidding outcomes across all pilots, the Company will endeavour to limit the circumstances when pre-allocation will be required.
Flying may be pre-allocated to trainers when required to conduct training and/or checking in the aircraft.
Pilot Representative test
The representative flying test is now contained in the proposed EA at Appendix G providing transparency for all LH pilots. This sets out how representative flying is assessed for pre-allocated training supervisory flying, including seniority and the overall mix of patterns allocated.
Route Check Limitations
The April offer contained the following amended wording:
RM16.1.6 the Company may pre-allocate flying patterns required for the pre-allocation of route checks (including S/O checks) in accordance with RM63, and recency patterns to enable ‘pairing’ with a CAT or TC an appropriately qualified training supervisory pilot or a pilot qualified in accordance with Company manuals.
The AFAP sought to address this wording but ensuring that Captain and First Officer route checks continued to be performed by Captains only. The Company only agreed to include a partial protection in the EA
This clause will prevent a training supervisory pilot from conducting route checks on a pilot of a higher status, but it will not require that only a Captain can conduct a route check on an FO. As a result, an appropriately qualified FO could conduct a route check on another FO, subject to the necessary regulatory and Company approvals.
The AFAP raised concerns during negotiations that such an arrangement could potentially undermine the statutory command authority vested in the operating Captain, given the checking authority that governs a route check.
While this does not mean Qantas will obtain approval to undertake route checks in this way, the proposed EA11 would now permit such an arrangement in a change from EA10.
Wider Bidding Window
The standard line is 170 hours with a standard bidding window for TRE, TRI and GOI pilots of -10 to +15, and for CATs and TCs on a fixed roster line -5 / +15. Simulator passive credits are additional to the 170 hours as shown in the above table.
The Company may introduce additional bidding windows outside of the standard window with the agreement of the AFAP and the Association.
X Day Entitlement (TRE, TRI, TSO)
A trainer will be eligible for a minimum of 21 X days each bid period. After the allocation of flying under the bid line allocation process above, an additional 2 X days will be rostered if there are unallocated duty days in a flying block.
X Day Infringements
X Day Infringement by an Assigned Duty
Where a training duty is offered or awarded on a DDFD, the Company will have the discretion to use one of the following options:
- move the DDFD to commence at midnight on the next Available Day;
- move the DDFD to commence at midnight on the next day without a planned duty in a Ground Training Block;
- move the DDFD to the next bid period where possible or otherwise the following bid period, an additional DDFD to the minimum entitlement.
- where the DDFD is infringed by a ground training duty, pay 3 hours passive credit (in addition to the normal duty credit value).
X Day Infringement by an Assigned Duty
Where a ground training duty is assigned on a DDFD, the pilot has the option of either:
- have the DDFD redesignated; or
- receiving 3 hours passive credit (in addition to the normal duty credit value).
Otherwise, Qantas has the discretion to move the DDFD:
- to commence at midnight on the next Available Day;
- to commence at midnight on the next day without a planned duty in a Ground Training Block;
- as an additional DDFD to the minimum entitlement in the next bid period where possible or otherwise the following bid period.
The restriction on the maximum number of X days that may be requested will be removed (see Clause 25.2.10(h) of EA10). This will be replaced with a general clause that the Company will attempt to accommodate DDFD requests subject to training requirements.
CAT and TC Variable Divisor
At the request of the trainer to forgo his self-flying allocation a CAT/TC may be pre-allocated:
- To the credit hours applicable for the category’s bid period divisor (but not less than 170), plus the applicable window, or
- Above 170 credit hours up to the applicable category’s maximum divisor, but no greater than the applicable window for the category when:
- The individual trainer agrees; and
- The Company requires the increase for training and/or checking.
CAT/TC Working Group
The AFAP raised several claims in bargaining to address rostering concerns and leave access for CATs/TCs. Ultimately these were not accepted and instead a working group will be established within 6 months of the commencement of an agreement to consider CAT/TC rostering. The working group will comprise CAT/TC representatives from each fleet along with AFAP, AIPA and Qantas representatives.
Lifestyle and Flexibility Changes
Flexi-lines (TRE, TRI, TSO)
Under RM73.14 there is a requirement for Qantas to give consideration to flexible work arrangements for training supervisory pilots during the life of the agreement in consultation with AIPA.
Annual and Long Service Leave
Separate annual leave and long service leave pools from line pilots will be created for all trainers.
All training and supervisory pilots (except CATs and TCs) leave access is subject to the following conditions:
- The requirement for the proportionate reduction of the GB and FB will remain, in the first instance.
- Where proportionate reduction would result in a pilot having their leave request denied, the GB or FB or both may be reduced to facilitate the leave. (This applies to ad-hoc leave)
- Will be able to bid for leave in 14 day blocks, which may be taken consecutively to total 14, 28 or 42 days of leave.
All training and supervisory pilots:
- Subject to training requirements, the Company will seek to offer a proportionate number between trainers and line pilots of:
- Annual leave slots over desirable periods, and
- Long service leave periods over the Xmas period.
Rostering Changes
Recurrent sessions, recency sessions, or type rating sessions (not tests), will still have a minimum notice period of 8 hours; (The only addition has been for type rating sessions to have notice included in the 8 hours)
All other training duties will continue to have a minimum of 12 hours’ notice.
Contactability
For training supervisory pilots, the RM54 (last DDFD call-in) requirements will now apply on a DDFD before a Duty Day as well as an Available Day. These contactability requirements must also be observed on each day prior to an Additional Duty Day not containing pre-allocated duties.
‘Late night’ simulator sessions
Currently, consecutive sessions are prohibited with no flexibility. It is proposed that a trainer may be allocated a maximum of 2 consecutive ‘late night’ sessions, unless the pilot and the Company agree otherwise.
Following a simulator training duty, the trainer is entitled to an MBTT of 12 hours or 24 hours following two consecutive late night simulator sessions. This is based on the planned briefing and debriefing times.
Flight simulator training and recurrent training times
Promotional or recurrent training:
- The combined simulator, briefing and debriefing times will be limited to 6 hours (EA10 the limit is 5:30)
All other Sessions
- The combined simulator, briefing and debriefing times will be limited to 8 hours (In EA10 there is no limit)
Classroom Training
Prescriptive classroom timings will be removed and replaced with a general clause providing a limit of 8 hours per day for classroom training with suitable breaks to be provided.
Training away from base (Outside of Australia)
Terms similar to the current localised lines provisions will be applicable, with X days to be taken at the training location. However, the clause will be limited to ground training only.
Allocation will be by award (agreement between pilot and Company) only. Trainers cannot be assigned to train outside of Australia. Opportunities will be provided on a ‘longest since’ basis.
Ground training blocks will be constructed in accordance with the variable work arrangements outlined above.
A trainer’s partner may be flown as priority Y37 (with the trainer’s upgrade priority) to the training location.
Conclusion
The above provides a summary of the changes to the key training elements for the proposed Long Haul EA11. Overall, this provides substantial improvements to flexibility, allowing trainers to choose arrangements that prioritise flying, training and/or days off. The restructured pay provides better pay outcomes for all trainers but particularly TFOs and TSOs.
As with the whole of Long Haul EA11, negotiating these changes after the April no vote was difficult and involved some negative changes to be traded.
The AFAP, as always, advises pilots to assess the overall package as a whole rather than focusing on a single item.
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 and 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