More than 1,600 Qantas engineers have called off strikes over pay scheduled for next week and have pledged not to down tools for a month, Australia's national carrier said Friday. The Australian Licenced Aircraft Engineers Association (ALAEA) had planned strikes at airports across Australia on Monday and Tuesday as part of an escalating dispute over wages and conditions. "We are pleased that Qantas customers can now travel with confidence," said Qantas spokeswoman Olivia Wirth, adding the ALAEA had also indicated it would not take industrial action for at least the next four weeks. But she hit out at the union for causing confusion for passengers and the airline by announcing and then scrapping work stoppages. "These tactics from the union of threatening strike action and cancelling it at the last minute, cause uncertainty for passengers, our staff and the airline," Wirth said.