Qantas ordered to consider concessions

Qantas has been ordered to consider a series of concessions as it tries to shed almost one third of its check-in staff at Sydney international airport.

The airline began offering the workers voluntary redundancy on Thursday following dire financial results last week.

The troubled carrier is looking to cut about 90 of 300 full time check-in positions at the international terminal, with staff being set a March 21 deadline to accept packages.

A decision on which staff could take voluntary redundancy was set to be taken in early April, with the Australian Services Union arguing the process was being rushed.

Following a two-hour hearing at Sydney's Fair Work Commission on Thursday, Commissioner Ian Cambridge ordered Qantas to consider extending the March 21 deadline by about two weeks.

Commissioner Cambridge also ordered Qantas to consider giving workers and the ASU far more detail about the rationale behind the job losses.

The airline was also asked to consider other options to mitigate job losses and that no-one be sacked while the current discussions with the ASU continue.

"We are happy with that proposal and we think it's a fair one that will give workers at least some amount of dignity in a very difficult situation," ASU NSW secretary Sally McManus told reporters.

Qantas has been given until Sunday night to consider and respond to the proposals or the dispute will end up back at the Fair Work Commission for further arbitration.

Qantas lawyer Helen McKenzie told the hearing the airline had consulted workers and fully complied with industrial laws.

"Full time employees at Sydney International Airport were today given the option to consider to covert to part-time roles, which will better align staffing levels with peak periods at the airport as well as ... express interest for a voluntary redundancy package," the company said in a statement.