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Australian airline Qantas resumes flights

Both sides in the Qantas dispute given 21 days to bridge their differences
Both sides in the Qantas dispute given 21 days to bridge their differences

Flights with the Australian airline Qantas have resumed following a ruling from an independent tribunal which ordered management and unions to resume negotiations.

Almost 70,000 people have been left stranded around the world as a result of Saturday's shutdown of all operations, at a cost of tens of millions of dollars to the airline and the Australian economy.

The labour tribunal has also banned trade unions from staging any more strikes.

Both sides have now been given 21 days to reach an agreement or face the prospect of an imposed settlement.

Trade unions say they will work with the airline to ensure its planes were back in the air as soon as possible.

The Irish-born chief executive of Qantas Alan Joyce has apologised to all those passengers affected by the shutdown.

Mr Joyce says the resumption of operations means Qantas now has business certainty and can focus on its international operations.