An Australian court has fined airline giant Qantas A$90m (£43m; $59m) for illegally sacking some 1,700 ground workers during the Covid-19 pandemic. Australia's Transport Workers' Union said it welcomed the ruling, which it said marked the largest employer penalty in the country's history.

A judge has fined Qantas Airways $59 million for illegally firing over 1,800 ground staff at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.

A court ordered Australia’s largest airline, Qantas Airways, on Monday to pay a record fine of A$90 million ($58.64 million) for illegally sacking 1,800 ground staff during the COVID-19 pandemic and criticised it for a lack of contrition.