Qantas, Lufthansa Joint Maintenance Business Closing at Tullamarine, 164 Jobs Lost

Qantas Boeing 747

Qantas will shut down a joint airline maintenance venture with Lufthansa in September, leaving 164 skilled workers out of a job.

‘The company was set up in a partnership between Qantas and Lufthansa in 2008 to overhaul engines, with a view to securing work from other Asian Pacific airlines.’

The joint venture, called LTQ Engineering, is set to lose $37 million over the next six years due to a slump in maintenance contracts.

‘”Considering the strong decline in demand and the company’s business and outlook, LTQ is not financially viable,” the statement said.

The joint venture was established to maintain and overhaul GE and CFM jet engines for Qantas 737s, 767s and 747s, as well as for engines fitted to Airbus A330 and A320 airliners.’

LTQ Engineering is the last major aircraft engine facility in Australia and has operated at Tullamarine since 2004.

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