The Qantas Group has said it expects to report an underlying profit before tax in the range of $50-$100 million for the financial year ending June 30th 2012, buoyed by domestic earnings. However, Qantas International is expected to report an earnings before interest and tax loss of over $450 million in 2011/12 compared with $216 million in 2010/11.

The British & Irish Lions are pleased to announce that Qantas, Australia’s premium airline, has been appointed as Official Airline for their tour to Australia in 2013. The partnership will make history as the 2013 Lions squad and coaching staff are flown to Hong Kong for The Lions’ first match in the Far East against the Barbarians.

Qantas will introduce changes to its international checked baggage policy next month, moving from a weight system to a piece and weight system. The changes provide customers with a simplified policy and better alignment with the Qantas domestic checked baggage policy, which changed in June 2011 to a piece and weight-based system.

Qantas has commenced its in-flight A380 connectivity trial, offering passengers travelling between Australia and the United States access to the Internet and emails in the sky.

Australian flag-carrier Qantas has said it will cut as many as 500 jobs as profits continue to fall. Reporting an 83 per cent dive if profits for the first half of the financial year, the carrier also confirmed it would cut international routes as it sought to rebuild its strength.

Qantas and the Australian Licensed Aircraft Engineers Association have reached a proposed agreement on terms and conditions covering around 1,600 maintenance engineers. The proposal is intended to form part of a workplace determination that the parties will ask Fair Work Australia to make and would remain in force until December 31st 2014.