Former Qantas captain takes aim at airline’s governance

A former Qantas pilot has laid into the airline’s governance, saying it’s “unimaginable” for management to receive pay boosts given the timing.

A former Qantas pilot of 34 years has laid into the airline’s governance, saying it’s “unimaginable” for management to receive pay boosts “while the airline is failing to perform”.

Richard de Crespigny, famous for successfully landing QF32 in Singapore after one of its engines failed, made the comment on 3AW following Alan Joyce’s abrupt resignation.

Mr Joyce was meant to retire in November, but it was announced on Tuesday he would step down immediately.

“It’s really a collapse of the brand which is all about trust,” Mr de Crespigny told hosts Ross and Russel when asked why some Australians have fallen out with the airline.

“And airlines live and die on trust which is capability, credibility, visions, value and particularly care.

“For the passengers and the staff that have suffered at the hands of poor Qantas governance, they find it unimaginable that the CEO and executives should get a massive pay boost when the airline is failing.”

Former Qantas pilot, Richard de Crespigny, has blasted Qantas governance, saying it’s ‘unimaginable’ of management to receive pay boosts while the airline is failing to perform.

Mr de Crespigny said it shows there’s a “disconnect” and “money flows to the top”.

“[And] it’s unhealthy and it needs to change.”

Mr Joyce is expected to get $24 million in bonuses, including 1.74 million shares, valued at just over $10 million for guiding the airline through the Covid-19 pandemic, while Qantas’ now boss Vanessa Hudson pocketed $2 million worth of shares.

Alan Joyce is expected to get $24 million in bonuses for guiding the airline through the Covid-19 pandemic. Picture NCA NewsWire / Aaron Francis

Qantas’ new boss Vanessa Hudson will receive $2 million in bosses. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Christian Gilles

It comes after executives were forced to report to the ASX details of their share parcels.

He explained that when news broke of Mr Joyce’s abrupt departure, he was on flight from Sydney to Melbourne, and that staff “high-fived” each other in celebration.

“It was five minutes before we touched down and I saw staff high-fiving,” he said, before claiming staff engagementat Qantas is at its “lowest”.

“In fact, they have got two aircraft currently grounded because of accidents by ground handling — but remember they laid off a lot of the ground handlers two years ago … and the airline suffered and passengers suffered as a consequence.

Richard de Crespigny, a pilot of 34 years, said passengers and staff ‘have suffered at the hands of poor Qantas governance’. Picture: Supplied

Mr de Crespigny also took aim at the airline for selling tickets on ghost flights.

On August 31, the Australian Consumer and Consumption Commission (ACCC) launched action in the Federal Court alleging the national carrier had “engaged in false, misleading or deceptive conduct” by selling sale tickets for more than 8000 already-cancelled flights between May and July last year.

“Selling tickets for flights that had been cancelled, that’s gross incompetence that exposes governance problems,” Mr de Crespigny said.

However, while the retired captain made brutal comments off the back of Mr Joyce’s departure, he told A Current Affair he believes the CEO started off really well when he took on the role in 2008.

“He did start Jetstar, which is a successful low-cost airline, where most have not succeeded,” he said.

Vanessa Hudson is officially Qantas’ new CEO after Alan Joyce stepped down two months early. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Christian Gilles

He believes things started to go wrong when he locked employees out during an industrial dispute.

“Because he was saying passengers’ travels for funerals or weddings didn’t matter and to ground the airline was the wrong and unnecessary thing to do in my opinion,” he added.

He said during Covid-19 it was “the staff who suffered”, with some having lost their homes and marriages.

“The workers that held Qantas up … they really suffered greatly,” he said.

“And it hasn’t been a good vision to see the executive team, the CEO, continue to get bonuses at the expense of maybe baggage handlers and other people that have lost their jobs.

“This is not a good example of leadership.”

Despite this, he is still “hopeful” things will change.

“There is a requirement that Qantas changes its operations to fix the mistakes it’s made,” he said.

“I’m hopeful … that will happen.”

He gave a nod to the airline’s new boss, Ms Hudson, telling A Current Affair she “comes from a good pedigree”.

“Vanessa Hudson comes from a great background, she knows the company, she knows the finances, she knows how it operates,” he said.