Alan Joyce has criticized his critics in a scathing new interview just days after Qantas posted a staggering annual loss of $1.9 billion.
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 workers reveal plummeting conditions and morale levels.
The besieged Qantas chief said: the Australian he was tired of answering questions about his decision-making, both professionally and personally.
Mr Joyce was criticized for buying a $19 million mansion in Sydney Harbor during the pandemic after he laid off thousands of employees.
‘Why is it relevant what I do in my private life? I am not a public figure. People consider the Qantas CEO to be a politician and it certainly shouldn’t be. It’s a business figure,” Mr Joyce told the publication.
“It has been well reported over the years how much I get paid, so I do have the money because Qantas started making record profits and had a record price.”
Alan Joyce has criticized his leadership, personal life and $2M salary in a scathing new interview
Mr Joyce bought a $19 million mansion in Sydney Harbor during the pandemic while laying off thousands of staff
Mr Joyce also commented on a recent trip he took during the July school holidays, a peak travel time when queues twisted outside airport doors, bags were lost and flights were delayed or cancelled.
Qantas CEO was forced to fly home early as customers struggled with the airline struggling with half of its flights departing late and a 6.2 percent cancellation rate.
“I have an 82-year-old mother who is not very healthy and I should not justify to anyone that I see her,” the CEO said.
“I think it’s completely unfair.”
Joyce told The Australian he was willing to do whatever it took to keep the airline profitable, and said the unions’ bickering made the task more difficult – despite his family background.
Mr Joyce’s grandfather played a part in the Dublin working class union movement and helped set up the Irish Congress of Trade Unions.
The Qantas boss also said he had voted for Labor several times, but now he found himself in constant battle with the people he once fought for.
“I come from that background,” Mr Joyce told the publication.
“If some of the union’s claims will put the company in financial trouble and cause a lot of people to lose their jobs, I don’t think that’s fair, and it’s my job as CEO to stand up and fight.”
Joyce can be seen in the photo speaking with members of the frontline team
Joyce’s early return from his holiday in Ireland coincided with the CEO’s request to leave their desk and help the baggage handlers with the mountain of baggage.
The CEO himself was spotted on the tarmac with ground staff in a safety jacket earlier this month, before senior executives were asked in an internal email to work as baggage handlers.
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 regularly does.
After the photo was taken, Colin Hughes, the airline’s chief operating officer, wrote to senior staff that it was looking for at least 100 executives to work in various airport positions up to five days a week.
Mr Hughes said there was “no expectation that you will get this role in addition to your full-time position” but noted that it was a necessary move in response to growing criticism of Qantas’s ability to meet passenger demand. .
Qantas CEO Alan Joyce was spotted on a runway in a high-vis vest before the company asked its senior executives to work as baggage handlers. A Qantas spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia that the photo was taken during a general visit to frontline teams, which he regularly does.
The problems with Qantas come when Mr Joyce, 55, and husband Shane Lloyd bought the palatial 1908 Federation residence in Mosman on the city’s lower north coast earlier this year, trading in from their downtown penthouse in The Rocks.
The expansive home has six bedrooms and multiple living areas, including outdoor areas on two huge decks overlooking the busy bay.
After being on the market for several months, it was sold by former currency trader Alison Ethell and her sister Jane, who bought it 19 years ago for $1.25 million.
Mr. Joyce and Mr. Lloyd’s new 631 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.
Now it is a huge three level home, set above a large three level parterre garden leading to direct access to deep waterfront.
On the waterfront, it has a jetty that can accommodate a 7.6m sailboat, which can be useful for Sydney’s amateur sailing club, which is directly opposite Mosman Bay.
After being on the market for several months, it was sold by former currency trader Alison Ethell and her sister Jane, who bought it 19 years ago for $1.25 million.
The flying kangaroo airline has now suffered $7 billion in losses since the start of the pandemic in 2020 due to the Covid shutdowns, with the CEO describing the numbers as “staggering.”
The first half of 2022 was difficult for Qantas as flight demand returns to pre-pandemic levels only as an Omicron outbreak caused massive delays at airports.
In a stunning confession, Mr Joyce acknowledged that Qantas had provided poor service as seven-day Covid isolation periods caused staff shortages.
“All this resulted in much publicized problems: long queues, delayed flights and lost bags,” he said on Thursday.
“It was incredibly hard on our people and very frustrating for our passengers.
“It just wasn’t good enough, and we apologized for that.”
Qantas posted a full-year underlying pre-tax loss of $1.859 billion after state border closures hit profits.
This was even worse than the loss of $1.774 billion in the year to June 2021.
“These numbers are staggering and it was clearly difficult to get to the other side,” Joyce said.