Federal Court Justice Michael Lee has imposed the largest fine on a company under the Fair Work Act for illegally sacking more than 1800 workers.

On Qantas flights to Asia, what’s called an International Classic Upgrade Reward from economy to business can cost anywhere from 35,900 points to 70,000 points to the likes of Singapore and Bangkok, for example. Longer routes to Japan and South Korea peg the economy-to-business upgrade rates between 43,100 and 83,600 points.

Qantas is being warned it risks losing its place in the national psyche after its latest indiscretion: a $90 million fine for the illegal sacking of workers.

Federal Court judge Michael Lee’s frustration at the way Qantas defended an unlawful outsourcing case has boiled over in his final judgment, which imposed a record $90m fine against the airline, $50m of which will be paid to the Transport Workers Union.

The airline says it was not an official order and an employee has been told never to make the same mistake again.

Un juez multó el lunes a Qantas Airways con 90 millones de dólares australianos (59 millones de dólares) por despedir ilegalmente a más de

Qantas decided to sack the workers and outsource their jobs in August 2020, a period of lockdowns and border closures when no Covid-19 vaccine existed.

Qantas has been ordered to pay the largest industrial relations penalty in Australian corporate history over the illegal sacking of 1,820 workers during the coronavirus pandemic, after a judge criticised the airline’s lack of genuine contrition over the affair.