Alan Joyce has lashed out at his critics in a scathing new interview just days after Qantas posted a staggering $1.9bn annual loss.
The airline is in the midst of legal action over its decision to lay off thousands of workers during the pandemic to cut costs as employees reveal their conditions and plummeting morale levels.
The Qantas chief executive, who is under fire, told The Australian he was fed up with answering questions about his decision-making, both professionally and personally.
Joyce was criticized for buying a $19 million mansion on Sydney Harbor during the pandemic after laying off thousands of employees.
‘Why is what I do in my private life relevant? I am not a public figure. People consider the Qantas CEO to be a politician and he definitely shouldn’t be. It’s a business figure,” Joyce told the publication.
“It’s been well reported over the years how much I get paid, so I have the money because Qantas made record profits and had a record share price.”
Alan Joyce has criticized his leadership, his private life and his $2 million salary in a scathing new interview.
Joyce bought a $19 million mansion on Sydney Harbor during the pandemic while cutting thousands of employees
Mr. Joyce also responded to a recent trip he took during the July school holidays, a peak travel time when lines snake out of airport gates, bags are misplaced, and flights are delayed or cancelled.
The Qantas CEO was forced to fly home early as customers went on a rampage as the airline grappled with half of its flights leaving late and a 6.2 per cent cancellation rate.
“I have an 82-year-old mother who is not doing very well and I shouldn’t have to justify to anyone that I see her,” said the CEO.
“I think it’s completely unfair.”
Joyce told The Australian he was prepared to do whatever it took to keep the airline profitable, saying union disputes were making it difficult, despite his family background.
Mr. Joyce’s grandfather played a role in Dublin’s working-class trade union movement, helping to establish the Irish Trades Union Congress.
The Qantas boss also said he had voted Labor several times, but now found himself constantly locked in battle with the people he once fought for.
“I come from that background,” Joyce told the publication.
“When some of the union claims are going to put the company in financial trouble and cause a lot of people to lose their jobs, I don’t think it’s fair, and it’s my job as CEO to stand up and fight.”
Joyce can be seen in the photo talking to members of the frontline team.
Joyce’s early return from her vacation in Ireland coincided with the CEO asking the executives to leave their desks and help the baggage handlers with the mountain of luggage.
The CEO himself was seen on the tarmac in a high-visibility jacket earlier this month alongside ground staff before senior executives were asked to work as baggage handlers in an internal email.
However, a Qantas spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia that Joyce’s photo was not new and was taken during a general visit to frontline teams, which the CEO does regularly.
After the photo was taken, Colin Hughes, the airline’s chief operating officer, wrote to senior staff saying he was looking for at least 100 managers to work in a variety of roles at the airport up to five days a week.
Hughes said “there was no expectation that he would take this role in addition to his full-time role” but said it was a necessary move in response to mounting criticism of Qantas’ ability to handle passenger demand.
Qantas CEO Alan Joyce was seen on a tarmac wearing a high visibility vest before the company asked its top executives to work as baggage handlers. A Qantas spokesman told Daily Mail Australia the photo was taken during a general visit to frontline teams, which he does regularly.
Problems with Qantas arise when Joyce, 55, and her husband Shane Lloyd bought the palatial 1908 Federation residence in Mosman, on the city’s lower north shore, earlier this year, buying their penthouse in the center of town at The Rocks.
The sprawling home has six bedrooms and several living rooms, including outdoor spaces on two huge terraces overlooking the busy bay.
After being on the market for several months, it was sold by former forex broker Alison Ethel and her sister Jane, who bought it for $1.25 million 19 years ago.
Joyce and Lloyd’s new 7,000-square-foot home was completely rebuilt in 2015 with Seattle architect Paul Moon, who transformed the home into a modern classic, with the help of Lovett Custom Homes.
It is now a huge three-level house, perched on a large three-level parterre garden that leads to direct access to the deep shoreline.
At the water’s edge, it has a jetty that could accommodate a 25-foot sailboat, which could be useful to the Sydney Amateur Sailing Club, located directly across Mosman Bay from the property.
After being on the market for several months, it was sold by former forex broker Alison Ethel and her sister Jane, who bought it for $1.25 million 19 years ago.
The Flying Kangaroo airline has now suffered $7bn worth of losses since the start of the pandemic in 2020 due to Covid lockdowns, with the CEO describing the figures as “staggering”.
The first half of 2022 has been a difficult one for Qantas, with flight demand returning to pre-pandemic levels only for an Omicron outbreak to cause massive delays at airports.
In a surprising admission, Joyce acknowledged that Qantas had provided a poor service as seven-day Covid isolation periods caused staff shortages.
“All of this led to much-publicized problems: long lines, delayed flights and misplaced bags,” he said on Thursday.
“It was incredibly hard on our people and deeply frustrating for our passengers.
“It just wasn’t good enough, and for that we’ve apologized.”
Qantas posted a full-year underlying pre-tax loss of $1.859bn after state border closures hit its profit.
This was even worse than the $1.774 billion loss in the year to June 2021.
“These numbers are staggering and getting to the other side has obviously been difficult,” Joyce said.
Leave a Reply