Alliance Airlines Pty Ltd Trading AS Alliance Airlines

Case [2025] FWCA 1760


[2025] FWCA 1760

FAIR WORK COMMISSION

DECISION

Fair Work Act 2009

s.185 - Application for approval of a single-enterprise agreement

Alliance Airlines Pty Ltd Trading AS Alliance Airlines

(AG2025/1294)

ALLIANCE AIRLINES PTY LTD CABIN CREW (ADELAIDE) ENTERPRISE AGREEMENT 2025

Airline operations

COMMISSIONER TRAN

MELBOURNE, 26 MAY 2025

Application for approval of the Alliance Airlines Pty Ltd Cabin Crew (Adelaide) Enterprise Agreement 2025

  1. Alliance Airlines Pty Ltd (ABN: 81 107 165 980) has applied for approval of an enterprise agreement known as the Alliance Airlines Pty Ltd Cabin Crew (Adelaide) Enterprise Agreement 2025 under s 185 of the Fair Work Act 2009.

  1. The Agreement is a single enterprise agreement.

  1. The Agreement also appears silent on National Employment Standards entitlement to increase the notice period by 1 week if the employee is over 45 years old and has completed at least 2 years of continuous service with the employer as per s.117(3)(b)). Clauses 16.4, 21.4 and 37.4 relating to withholding of monies on termination of employment are likely to be inconsistent with the National Employment Standards.

  1. Further, clauses 21.4 and 37.4 may not be consistent with s 324 of the Act and may therefore have no effect in accordance with s 326 of the Act.

  1. I note clause 4.2 of the Agreement, which gives precedence to the NES and am satisfied that the more beneficial entitlements of the NES will prevail where there is an inconsistency between the Agreement and the NES.

  1. The Employer has provided written undertakings. I am satisfied that the undertakings will not cause financial detriment to any employee covered by the Agreement and that the undertakings will not result in substantial changes to the Agreement.

  1. Subject to the undertakings referred to above, I am satisfied that each requirement of ss 186, 187 and 188 as are relevant to this application for approval have been met. The undertakings are taken to be a term of the Agreement.

  1. The Flight Attendants’ Association of Australia (FAAA) lodged a Form F18 statutory declaration giving notice under s 183 of the Act that it wants the Agreement to cover it. In accordance with s 201(2) of the Act, I note the Agreement covers the FAAA.

  1. The Agreement is approved and, despite clause 3.2 and in accordance with s 54 of the Act, will operate from 3 June 2025.

  1. In accordance with clause 3.4, the nominal expiry date of the Agreement is 18 February 2029.

Variation under s 218A

  1. Section 218A of the Act allows the Commission to correct or amend obvious errors, defects or irregularities. It is a discretionary power, and the Commission must first be satisfied that the identified errors or amendments sought are obvious errors, defects or irregularities.

  1. I determined to vary the Agreement on my own initiative, following the identification of the errors in clause 38.27.

  1. The Applicant provided an amended copy of the Agreement, with only the amendments identified above.

  1. I am satisfied that the amendments should be made and that it is appropriate to do so in accordance with s 218A. The variation will operate from the date the Agreement commences.

  1. The Agreement attached to this Decision is the Agreement as varied and will operate from 3 June 2025. The nominal expiry date of the Agreement as varied is 18 February 2029.

COMMISSIONER

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Details
AGLC
Alliance Airlines Pty Ltd Trading AS Alliance Airlines [2025] FWCA 1760
Case
[2025] FWCA 1760
Decision Date

CaseChat Overview and Summary

The applicant, Alliance Airlines Pty Ltd, trading as Alliance Airlines, sought approval of the proposed Cabin Crew (Adelaide) Enterprise Agreement 2025 under section 234 of the Fair Work Act 2009. The matter was heard in the Fair Work Commission. The primary dispute centred around whether the proposed agreement met the necessary criteria for approval, specifically focusing on the procedural fairness and substantive fairness of the agreement.

The court was tasked with determining whether the agreement was made in good faith, and whether it provided for the terms and conditions of employment that were fair and reasonable. Additionally, the court had to assess if the agreement complied with the procedural requirements set out in the Fair Work Act 2009, including the provision of necessary information and the opportunity for proper consultation.

The Fair Work Commission found that the proposed agreement was made in good faith and contained terms and conditions that were fair and reasonable. The Commission also found that the procedural requirements had been met, including adequate consultation and the provision of necessary information. Consequently, the application for approval was successful, and the agreement was approved as meeting the requirements of the Act.

The Commission ordered that the Alliance Airlines Pty Ltd Cabin Crew (Adelaide) Enterprise Agreement 2025 be approved and registered under the Fair Work Act 2009. This decision confirmed the agreement's validity and allowed it to be enforced as a binding enterprise agreement between the parties involved.

Orders

Orders of the court

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Background

Background to the litigation

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Evidence

Evidence Before The Court

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Decision

Reasons for decision

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Ratio Decidendi

Legal Principle Established

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