Qantas CEO Alan Joyce explains how the Australian airline is making more revenue per passenger than before the pandemic.
Video / NZ Herald
Under-pressure Qantas Group chief executive Alan Joyce has brought forward his resignation by two months as the airline faces allegations of misleading conduct over airline ticket sales.
Joyce, who was due to retire from the airline at the end of the year after 22 years — 15 of them in the top job — has fast-tracked his leaving date to tomorrow.
“In the last few weeks, the focus on Qantas and events of the past make it clear to me that the company needs to move ahead with its renewal as a priority,” Joyce said in an announcement.
“The best thing I can do under these circumstances is to bring forward my retirement and hand over to Vanessa [Hudson] and the new management team now, knowing they will do an excellent job.”
As planned, Vanessa Hudson will assume the role of managing director and group chief executive effective Wednesday.
Hudson, who joined Qantas in 1994 and has previously held the titles of chief financial officer and chief customer officer, will become the airline’s first female CEO in its 100-year history.
Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce was due to retire from the airline at the end of the year. Photo / Michael Craig
“There have been many ups and downs, and there is clearly much work still to be done, especially to make sure we always deliver for our customers. But I leave knowing that the company is fundamentally strong and has a bright future,” Joyce said.
Qantas chairman Richard Goyder paid tribute to Joyce’s service to the airline.
“Alan has always had the best interests of Qantas front and centre, and today shows that. On behalf of the board, we sincerely thank him for his leadership through some enormous challenges and for thinking well ahead on opportunities like ultra-long-haul travel,” Goyder said.
“This transition comes at what is obviously a challenging time for Qantas and its people. We have an important job to do in restoring the public’s confidence in the kind of company we are, and that’s what the board is focused on, and what the management under Vanessa’s leadership will do.”
Last week, Australia’s consumer regulator launched court action alleging Qantas engaged in false, misleading or deceptive conduct, by advertising tickets for more than 8000 flights that it had cancelled but not removed from sale.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) alleges Qantas kept selling tickets on its website for an average of more than two weeks for flights scheduled to depart between May and July last year after the cancellation of the flights.
It is also alleged that, for more than 10,000 flights scheduled to depart in May to July 2022, Qantas did not notify existing ticket-holders that their flights had been cancelled for an average of about 18 days, and in some cases for up to 48 days.
Qantas has said the period examined by the ACCC was “a time of unprecedented upheaval for the entire airline industry”.
“We will examine the details of the ACCC’s allegations and respond to them in full in court,” Qantas said.
Today’s announcement means executive changes announced earlier in the year will also be accelerated. Rob Marcolina will move into the role of group chief financial officer.
