Rita Panahi: What Qantas lacks in service and reliability, it makes up for in unsolicited race-based propaganda

The airline is a shadow of its former self and new boss Vanessa Hudson must address its clumsy corporate virtue-signalling that annoys a significant portion of its customer base.

The new Qantas boss has an almighty task ahead of her in restoring the iconic brand to its former glory.

Chief financial officer Vanessa Hudson will move into the top role in November after beating chief loyalty officer Olivia Wirth and around 40 other candidates for the coveted role.

Qantas claims to be a premium carrier, and certainly charges accordingly.

But the customer experience is decidedly budget from the inconsistent service to the number of cancellations, baggage issues and other headaches.

Vanessa Hudson beat around 40 other candidates for the coveted role. Picture: Gaye Gerard

Even their on-board offerings are cheap and inadequate.

Then there’s the angst associated with fat bonuses paid to executives despite the airline collecting around $2bn in government assistance, not to mention the airline being found guilty of illegally sacking 1700 baggage handlers.

But what Qantas lacks in service and reliability, it makes up for in unsolicited race-based propaganda.

You cannot fly anywhere in Australia with Qantas without being welcomed to your own nation courtesy of an incoherent and unnecessary “acknowledgement of country” announcement.

Ms Hudson has an almighty task ahead of her in restoring Qantas to its former glory. Picture: Gaye Gerard

When best-selling author Dr Jordan Peterson posted a complaint about Qantas’s political posturing on Twitter late last year he was met by a flood of support from fed-up customers.

Hallelujah. Why should passengers, from all backgrounds and political persuasions, be subjected to divisive race politicking?

Why is an airline that stands accused of ill-treating some of its own stakeholders indulging in clumsy corporate virtue-signalling sure to annoy a significant portion of their customer base? In November, Qantas had the great dishonour of being the biggest company to receive a Shonky Award from Choice where it was dubbed the “Spirit of Disappointment” for providing a less than premium customer experience.

Why should passengers, from all backgrounds and political persuasions, be subjected to divisive race politicking? Picture: David Clark

After 15 years of the polarising Alan Joyce the airline is a shadow of its former self when it comes to customer service, reliability and price competitiveness.

The incoming CEO is an insider who has held various executive positions with the flying kangaroo in the past three decades.

Frequent flyers and travel-loving Australians will be hoping Hudson will return the national carrier to the premium airline Joyce inherited.

Rita Panahi is a Herald Sun columnist who flies Qantas a lot