Carrying baggage of pandemic

There is much to be said for senior executives having to spend part of their time working at the coal face of the businesses they lead. It can build greater trust across networks of employees and give managers a better insight into the impact of decisions they are making, on both employees and customers. This said, the latest call from Qantas for managers to be available to work three to five days a week on baggage handling and service delivery is something else altogether. The airline will lose valuable executive talent to plug holes in more menial task rosters.

As part of the program, staff will sort and scan bags and drive special vehicles to move luggage on to aircraft and between terminals. The move is necessary to help save the airline’s reputation for service delivery and reliability. It reflects the difficulties faced by many companies in finding workers at time of great skills shortage. But it also demonstrates that decisions taken to let workers go during the pandemic, something deemed by the Federal Court to be in breach of the Fair Work Act, have come at a considerable long-term cost to the business.

Australia needs a well-functioning national airline and taxpayers have paid a heavy price to help ensure Qantas was ready to resume service when borders finally reopened. It must study the lessons of its pandemic response and do everything it can to safeguard the quality service and brand loyalty it has long enjoyed.