Executive vacancies, pilots’ agreement, annual results, court battles on Alan Joyce’s pre-exit list

From new routes to sort, filling gaping holes in the executive team and looming court cases, the Qantas CEO has a packed agenda before he exits.

The final six months at Qantas for CEO Alan Joyce is unlikely to be a series of long lunches and farewell drinks before he hands over the reins to chief financial officer Vanessa Hudson.

At Tuesday’s announcement that Mr Joyce would step down in November after 15-years in the role, he quipped there was “still a lot to do” and he wasn’t lying.

There are two gaping holes in the executive team to fill, a short haul pilots’ agreement to negotiate, full year results to deliver and a home to be found for the Qantas Engineering Academy.

A full day of presentations to investors is planned for the end of this month, then it’s off to the International Air Transport Association annual general meeting in Istanbul, before the launch of the new Sydney-Auckland-New York route.

A potential court clash looms with the competition watchdog over the Alliance Aviation takeover, and next week a High Court case begins to decide once and for all if Qantas acted illegally by outsourcing more than 1600 below the wing workers.

Although Mr Joyce is not personally involved in the High Court hearings, he will no doubt be paying close attention given the potential for corporate embarrassment and a hefty fine.

Perhaps the most pressing issue is the looming vacancies on the group management committee as a result of the retirement of Qantas Domestic chief executive Andrew David in September, and the promotion of Ms Hudson.

A veteran of the aviation industry, Mr David heads up what is typically the biggest money-making segment for Qantas, and since 2020 he has also overseen the international business.

The portfolios will be split once again from July, when former Air New Zealand executive Cameron Wallace comes in as the new Qantas International CEO.

It was expected Qantas would promote from within to replace Mr David, and there was also likely to be some reshuffling for the chief financial officer’s role.

Qantas chairman Richard Goyder, left, with CEO Alan Joyce. Picture: NCA Newswire / Gaye Gerard

In the fallout from Ms Hudson’s appointment, there was the risk unsuccessful candidate Olivia Wirth might also exit leaving the important Qantas Loyalty business without a leader.

Chairman Richard Goyder, Mr Joyce and Ms Hudson were clearly fearful of that possibility as each lavished praise on Ms Wirth during Tuesday’s CEO announcement.

“Olivia has done an amazing job in the loyalty business and we’re so proud there is that strength in the company,” Mr Joyce said.

“I spoke to Olivia yesterday and I’ve said just how valued she is in the organisation,” added Ms Hudson.

For Mr Joyce’s final full year result to be announced in August, the fiercely competitive CEO was expected to accept nothing short of a record.

To do so, he will have to beat the $1.6bn profit posted in the 2018 financial year. The figure certainly appeared within reach following the group’s record $1.43bn gain for the first half of 2022-23.

Qantas domestic pilots would be watching the result carefully with negotiations on a new enterprise agreement due to start later this year.

A number of other projects initiated by Mr Joyce would likely land in Ms Hudson’s lap to finalise, including the development of a local sustainable aviation fuel industry and the addition of high-speed Wi-Fi to the international fleet.

It would also fall to Ms Hudson to launch Mr Joyce’s Project Sunrise, connecting cities such as Sydney and New York and Melbourne-Paris with a single flight.

First proposed in 2017, the ultra-long-range flights were originally due to start in 2023 and then pushed back to 2025 thanks to the Covid pandemic.

Mr Joyce most recently indicated they would takeoff in 2026 or 2027 as Qantas awaited delivery of new A350-1000s specially engineered to cover the enormous distances.

The to do list

Negotiate short haul pilots EBA

Find new Qantas Domestic CEO

Find new Chief Financial Officer

Investor day presentations

Attend IATA AGM in Istanbul

Finalise Alliance Aviation takeover

Launch Sydney-Auckland-New York route

Deliver massive full year profit

Observe High Court hearings over outsourcing

Take delivery of new A220s

Finalise cabin configuration of new A350s

Establish sustainable aviation fuel supply

Find suitable location for Qantas Engineering academy

Extend free high speed WiFi to internationalfleet