Up to 150 of Qantas’ 2,000 pilots have been placed on unpaid leave as the carrier attempts to relieve losses on its international operations.

Reported earlier this week, some of the 150 pilots have been awarded approval to work with other airlines including Middle Eastern airlines, Market Watch reported.

"This is not an uncommon practice for Qantas and we have done so before when capacity has been reduced, such as during the global financial crisis," a Qantas spokesperson told media in an email.

The carrier’s spokesperson said the carrier had also delivered the same action in 2008 during the global financial crisis.

Late last year the pilot’s union, Australian and International Pilots Association stated in an online statement that Air Asia chief executive Tony Fernandes has called upon Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce to deliver the ‘Malaysianisation’ of the carrier.