Joe Aston’s new book on Qantas The Chairman’s Lounge landed in Canberra this week with a thud. While the headlines are all about Anthony Albanese’s flight upgrades, Aston’s book also chronicles the turbulent reign of Alan Joyce.

Thirteen months ago, Joyce crashed out of Qantas, egged on by angry customers and regulators and frustrated investors. His exit came amid questions about the way Qantas wields power in Canberra, the breakdown in customer service at the airline and the decision to illegally sack 1700 people.