Former Qantas CEO Alan Joyce has admitted making mistakes during his controversial tenure at Australia’s national airline.
In a rare interview, Joyce reflected on the airline’s struggles during the COVID-19 pandemic, describing the period as the most difficult of his career.
He accepted responsibility for major decisions, including the illegal sacking of 1,820 workers, which later resulted in a 90-million-dollar penalty against Qantas.
Joyce also acknowledged mistakes in the airline’s handling of customers during the pandemic, including flight disruptions, refunds and the so-called “ghost flights” controversy.
He said Qantas was at one point just 11 weeks away from running out of cash and entering bankruptcy, forcing the airline into what he described as “survival mode.”
Joyce, who stepped down as Qantas CEO in September 2023, said the airline made mistakes but ultimately survived because more decisions were right than wrong.
His memoir, Riding the Jet Stream, is set to reveal more about his nearly 15 years leading Qantas and the challenges that shaped his controversial legacy.
