A Qantas Boeing 737-800 is parked on the runway at Sydney International Airport on July 22, 2020.
David Gray | Getty Images News | Getty Images
Qantas Airways announced on Tuesday that its long-time chief executive Alan Joyce will be leaving the company two months earlier than previously suggested amid the reputational damage engulfing Australia’s flagship airline.
Joyce’s early retirement means Vanessa Hudson, the first woman to lead the 100-year-old airline, will take over as CEO on Wednesday.
Qantas has apologized for not meeting service standards and acknowledged reputational damage after Australia’s competition regulator accused it of selling tickets for thousands of canceled flights. After approval, the departure was brought forward.
Mr Joyce, who was the airline’s chief executive for 15 years, said: “In recent weeks, with so much attention focused on Qantas and its past, it is important that the airline needs to make renewal a priority.” has become clear,” he said.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) said in a court filing last week that the airline sold more than 8,000 tickets between May and July 2022 without disclosing that they had been cancelled. It said it violated consumer law.
Qantas chairman Richard Goyder said of Joyce’s early retirement: “This transition comes at a clearly difficult time for Qantas and its employees.” “We have an important job to do to restore the public’s confidence in what kind of company we are, and that is what the board is focused on, and under Vanessa’s leadership, the executive team This is what we do.”
The company announced a number of leadership changes in June to sharpen its focus on key areas as it completes its post-pandemic recovery.
The company posted record annual revenue last month, supported by the continued strong recovery in travel demand.