Despite the inconvenience suffered by Australian travelers because of the Qantas series of strikes, public opinion still appears to favor the unions that represent the air carrier's workers, instead of Qantas management.

The National Essential Report survey showed that 67 per cent of the 1,018 poll respondents agreed that Qantas employees' grievances are legitimate while only 13 per cent disagreed.

In another blow to Qantas Chief Executive Alan Joyce, 70 per cent of survey respondents believe that his $5 million annual compensation is excessive; only 7 per cent sided with Mr Joyce.

Shareholders plan to question Mr Joyce's pay package in Qantas's yearly general meeting at the end of October.

"This is more push polling being used by the unions to deliberately damage the Qantas brand as part of their industrial campaign," Qantas group executive Olivia Wirth told AAP.

The survey also found that 88 per cent of Australians want to keep jobs in the country and only 7 per cent agreed with a plan to shift the hub to southeast Asia.

"Alan Joyce and his team have spent tens of millions of dollars trying to convince the public that shifting the airline to southeast Asia is necessary and that Qantas workers are somehow trying to destroy the campaign," Australian and International Pilots Association Vice President Richard Woodward told AAP.

"What they obviously didn't count on is that Australians aren't that easy to fool," Mr Woodward pointed out.

Although Qantas passengers have some form of relief from canceled and postponed flights as the Transport Workers Union which represents baggage handlers, ground crew and caterers, and the Alliance of Licenced Aircraft Engineers Association temporarily agreed not to pursue any industrial action, customs officials are set to walk off their jobs on Thursday.

The 24-hour strike which would start Wednesday midnight would affect operations at the Sydney, Melbourne and Perth Airports. The customs staff at the Brisbane, Darwin and Adelaide Airports will have only two-hour work stoppages on the same day, while similar strikes are being planned also for Thursday at the Cairns and Gold Coast Airports.

Nadine Flood, national secretary of the Community and Public Sector Union, said the customs officer strike is expected to affect other customs services such as cargo inspection, ports, international mail centres and custom state and national offices.

She added that the Customs Marine Unit will join them for two-hour work stoppage on Thursday, but it is not expected to affect the marine's ability to cope with situations when lives would be in danger for sea travelers.

Like the Qantas strikes, the customs staff industrial action is over pay and better work conditions.

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