{"id":152755,"date":"2026-08-04T05:34:00","date_gmt":"2026-08-04T00:04:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/?p=152755"},"modified":"2026-08-04T02:37:28","modified_gmt":"2026-08-03T21:07:28","slug":"singapore-airlines-engineer-awarded-compensation-after-dismissal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/index.php\/2026\/08\/04\/singapore-airlines-engineer-awarded-compensation-after-dismissal\/","title":{"rendered":"Singapore Airlines Engineer Awarded AU$40,000 Compensation After Dismissal"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

SINGAPORE-<\/strong> A veteran aircraft engineer has been awarded AU$40,000<\/strong> in compensation after being dismissed following a 17-minute delay to a Singapore Airlines (SQ)<\/a> flight. The case centered on a maintenance procedure that delayed the aircraft’s departure from Singapore Changi Airport (SIN).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Fair Work Tribunal ruled that while Heston MRO was not required to reinstate the engineer, the company failed to provide procedural fairness during the dismissal process. The case also highlights Singapore Airlines’ (SQ) extensive operations across Australia, including services to Melbourne Airport (MEL), Sydney Airport (SYD), Brisbane Airport (BNE), Perth Airport (PER), Adelaide Airport (ADL), Darwin International Airport (DRW), and Cairns Airport (CNS).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Singapore
Photo: Singapore Airlines<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Singapore Airlines Engineer Awarded Compensation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A veteran Australian<\/a> aircraft engineer has been awarded AU$40,000 (approximately US$28,000) in compensation after being dismissed from Heston MRO following a maintenance incident involving a Singapore Airlines aircraft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The dispute stemmed from an event in which the engineer powered down and restarted an aircraft to clear multiple fault messages before departure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the engineer, the action was carried out with the agreement of the flight crew and was considered a routine troubleshooting procedure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The restart successfully cleared the fault indications but delayed the flight by approximately 17 minutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Singapore Airlines later argued that the engineer had failed to follow the airline’s approved maintenance procedures. The carrier maintained that the action represented a breach of protocol and claimed the delay contributed to customer dissatisfaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following the incident, Singapore Airlines requested that Heston MRO withdraw the engineer’s maintenance authorization after citing what it described as mishandling incidents, Simple Flying<\/a> reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Singapore
Photo: Singapore Changi Airport<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Initial Investigation Cleared the Engineer<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After receiving the airline’s concerns, Heston MRO<\/a> launched an internal investigation into the incident.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first review concluded that the engineer had not breached maintenance procedures. Investigators accepted the explanation that rebooting the aircraft systems was a normal engineering practice used to clear certain technical messages before flight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The engineer maintained throughout the process that the action had been discussed with the pilots and resolved the reported faults without creating any safety issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, Singapore Airlines challenged the findings, arguing that the investigation lacked objectivity. The airline requested that Heston MRO conduct a fresh review of the incident.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Photo: By Jiaqian AirplaneFan, CC BY 3.0, https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index.php?curid=56798685<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Second Review Led to Dismissal<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Heston MRO later reopened the investigation under the supervision of a newly appointed Head of Quality and Safety.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unlike the initial report, the second review concluded that the engineer had committed a reckless violation of maintenance procedures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Based on the revised findings, Heston MRO terminated the engineer’s employment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Fair Work Tribunal later found that the engineer had not been informed about the conclusions of the second investigation before his dismissal. He was also not allowed to respond to the new allegations or defend his actions before the final decision was made.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These procedural shortcomings became a significant factor in the tribunal’s ruling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Singapore
Photo: Cl\u00e9ment Alloing<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Fair Work Tribunal Declines Reinstatement<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although the tribunal found flaws in the dismissal process, it declined to order the engineer’s reinstatement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The decision considered additional employment circumstances beyond the maintenance dispute.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The engineer had accumulated approximately 25 years of industry experience and worked for Heston MRO from May 2023 until December 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During that period, he also accepted casual engineering shifts with Virgin Australia (VA)<\/a>. The tribunal concluded that this secondary employment had affected the employment relationship between the engineer and Heston MRO, making reinstatement impractical.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, the tribunal awarded AU$40,000 in compensation for the employer’s failure to provide procedural fairness during the dismissal process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Employment relations specialist Akile Numan, Head of Advisory Service at Clear Employment Relations<\/strong>, noted that procedural fairness remains essential even within safety-critical industries. The ruling reinforces that employers must allow employees to understand allegations and respond before disciplinary decisions are finalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Singapore
Photo: Mark Bess | Flickr<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Singapore Airlines’ Strong Australian Network<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The case comes as Singapore Airlines continues to maintain one of the largest international networks between Singapore and Australia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to aviation analytics company Cirium, the airline currently operates scheduled services to seven Australian destinations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Melbourne is the carrier’s busiest Australian destination, receiving five daily flights from Singapore. These services are operated using a combination of Airbus A350<\/a>, Airbus A380, and Boeing 777 aircraft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sydney, Brisbane, and Perth each receive four daily services. Brisbane flights are operated entirely by Airbus A350 aircraft, while Perth and Sydney are served by a mix of Airbus A350, Boeing 787, Boeing 777, and Airbus A380 aircraft depending on the schedule.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Singapore Airlines also operates ten weekly Boeing 787 services to Adelaide<\/a>, daily Boeing 737 MAX flights to Darwin, and five weekly Airbus A350 services to Cairns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Australia remains one of Singapore Airlines’ most important international markets, with a broad mix of widebody and narrowbody aircraft supporting business and leisure travel between the two countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Air
Photo: Siddh Dhuri | MumbaiPlanes<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Bottom Line<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Fair Work Tribunal’s ruling highlights the importance of procedural fairness in workplace disciplinary actions, even within highly regulated aviation maintenance environments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While Heston MRO was not ordered to reinstate the engineer, it was required to compensate him after failing to properly inform him of the reasons behind his dismissal and provide an opportunity to respond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The case also illustrates the close operational relationship between airlines and maintenance providers, where disagreements over technical procedures can have significant employment consequences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stay tuned with us. Further, follow us on social media for the latest updates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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