“Indeed, Captain Lynn has put forward an arrangement of leave to Jetstar whilst he is on remand.

“Captain Lynn has not engaged in misconduct, he is unable to present for work for no reason that has been established that Captain Lynn is responsible for. Captain Lynn is ... suffering the deprivation of termination of his employment for circumstances that he has no responsibility for.”

If Mr Lynn is granted bail at a court hearing in May, conditions might still prevent him from flying.

Jetstar rejected the union’s claims that its response was disproportionate and a spokeswoman said the airline would oppose the unfair dismissal claim.

“Jetstar makes no comment on the criminal charges, noting this matter is still before the courts, however, it’s clear that Mr Lynn is on remand pending trial and would not physically be able to perform his duties for a significant period of time,” the spokeswoman said.

A spokeswoman for the union said: “The TWU is not involved in this criminal justice matter. Consistent with regular practice, the union has provided support to this member for Fair Work conciliation. This has been done because union members are entitled to representation and procedural fairness for industrial matters.”

Mr Hill, 74, and Ms Clay, 73, disappeared during a trip through Victoria’s high country in 2020.

The last contact the pair had with the outside world was through Mr Hill’s high-frequency radio as they set up camp in the Wonnangatta Valley, a secluded pocket of the Victorian Alpine National Park without mobile phone reception.

Their tent and some belongings were found burnt to the ground next to Mr Hill’s Toyota LandCruiser on March 27 at a campsite near the Dry River Creek track.

Police arrested Mr Lynn last November in the remote Arbuckle Junction in Gippsland after human remains of the two campers were found near Dargo. He has been custody since then.

Mr Lynn worked as a captain for Qatar Airways for five years before taking up a similar role with Jetstar.

He did not apply for bail in November and was remanded to reappear in court on May 31.

In a statement in November, a Jetstar spokeswoman said the company was aware of the allegations against Mr Lynn and that he had been stood down.

“Jetstar has been advised by Victoria Police that one of its employees is under investigation for a serious crime and will work to assist in this due process any way we can,” she said.

The Transport Workers’ Union has been contacted for comment.

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