1,820 ground crew members will receive a share of the compensation following court rulings.
Qantas will pay $120 million (US$76 million) to 1,820 workers who were illegally outsourced at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
The airline has reached an agreement with the Transport Workers Union (TWU) on the total compensation amount, to be paid from early 2025.
This settlement follows a High Court judgement that upheld the outsourcing of baggage handlers, cabin cleaners, and ground support staff as unlawful.
In October 2024, Federal court Justice Michael Lee then ordered the airline to pay $100,000, $40,000, and $30,000 in three test cases related to the employment terminations.
At the time of the outsourcing, Qantas was dealing with financial impacts of the COVID-19 travel bans and lockdowns, which grounded the majority of its flights and cut revenue at the airline.
In a statement, Qantas said the compensation fund would be administered by Maurice Blackburn on behalf of the union.
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