The chief executive of Qantas, Geoff Dixon, says the global aviation industry is likely to shed 100,000 jobs in the next six months.

Mr Dixon predicted many airlines will close and major new global airlines will emerge as the result of mergers and takeovers – but he expects Qantas to survive as an independent airline.

“Right now airlines around the world are cutting routes and capacity, grounding and retiring aircraft and unfortunately shedding staff,” he said.

“It’s likely that 100,000 jobs will be lost before the calendar year is out.

“In the last six months alone 24 airlines have gone or closed completely.

“Over the next 12 years many more airlines will vanish, many.

“[They will be] unable to cope with the rising fuel prices and they will be swallowed up by takeovers or by mergers which is unusual for this industry.

Last week Qantas announced about 1,200 jobs will be cut in Australia and 300 positions cut from call centres in the United States and Britain.

Mr Dixon blamed the job cuts on surging world oil prices and the airline’s continuing pay dispute with aircraft engineers.

He has also directed blame at the Federal Government’s carbon trading emissions scheme.

The Federal Government said Qantas’s decision to cut the 1,500 jobs was extremely disappointing.

Courtesy ABC Australia: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/07/22/2310981.htm?WT.mc_id=newsmail

Geoff Dixon. CEO Qantas. Photo courtesy AAP: Dean Lewins, file photo