Qantas will sack at least 6000 of its 29,000 employees as part of a three-year plan to deal with the COVID-19 fallout.

Unions are calling for government intervention.

Cabin and ground crew, and staff at the airline’s Sydney head office are among those who will be laid off as part of the cost cutting measure.

The airline will ground at least 100 planes for up to a year, mostly consistently of long haul carriers.

Tom Elliott fears that means the airline has a bleak prediction about the prospect of international travel for the next three years.

Qantas has also announced it will raise $1.9 billion through share sales.

The airline has gone into a trading halt while it prepares to launch the huge capital raising plan.

Linda White, Assistant National Secretary of the Australian Services Union, told Tom Elliott the airline had jumped the gun.

“There’s no doubt we are in very difficult times,” she said.

“But I just thought the announcement was a bit premature.”

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