QANTAS has blamed tired and stressed pilots for its decision to ground its aircraft and leave 68,000 passengers in limbo.
Qantas head of operations Lyell Strambi told a packed and tense Fair Work Australia hearing last night the airline feared the stress of facing a lockout would distract and tire pilots, threatening passenger safety.
He said once "the genie is out of the bottle" and chief executive Alan Joyce decided on a lock-out on Saturday, grounding all 447 flights across Australia and the world was the next move.
He agreed with lawyers for the pilots union he was not a trained psychologist "but as holder of the AOC (Airline Operators Certificate) I have an accountability and responsibility in ensuring the safety of flights".
The airline last night denied it also had concerns about potential sabotage to aircraft from licenced engineers or ground workers.
But industry sources said Qantas had notified the Civil Aviation Safety Authority aircraft could be vandalised to stop them leaving the tarmac, although not in a way to threaten an airborne incident.
Australian Licensed Aircraft Engineers Association, the Australian and International Pilots Association and the Transport Workers Union claimed Qantas had premeditated the lockout of employees before it was announced on Saturday, which the airline denied.
Last night Virgin Australia said it had added an extra 3000 seats to try to help Qantas passengers, and was looking to use Etihad, Singapore Airlines and Air New Zealand aircraft on key domestic routes.
It has 140,000 seats for sale over the next week.
Jetstar, which is unaffected, said it only had room for 1500 Qantas passengers.
Yesterday Mr Joyce said he would prefer Fair Work Australia terminate all industrial action - including the company's lock-out and any further strikes by licenced engineers and trasnport workers - to give Qantas certainty so that talks could continue.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard demanded an end to the Qantas dispute, which embarrassed her during CHOGM in Perth.
Ms Gillard was forced to interrupt the meeting to personally brief foreign leaders, with 17 heads of government due to leave of Australia on Qantas.
"I understand most leaders have found alternative arrangements but we are continuing to work with leaders to ensure that everyone can get where they need to go next," Ms Gillard said.
"I say to Qantas and to the trade unions involved ... I believe that Australians want to see this dispute settled. I want to see it settled.
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