A senior Qantas executive attempted to hose down heavy criticism of the airline on the weekend, publishing an open letter explaining why the airline was "not delivering the service that our customers expect." Qantas is under intense scrutiny for its abnormally high levels of cancelations, delays, lost luggage, stranded passengers, and generally very average customer service. Qantas Domestic and International CEO Andrew David says the airline is working hard to overcome these recurring problems but also warns they aren't over yet.
In a lengthy statement published on the Qantas website on the weekend, Mr David admitted that COVID-19 and flu-related sickness combined with labor shortages had significantly impacted the airline. Mr David's comments coincide with another hectic weekend at Australia's biggest airports as school holidays conclude and families head home.
Qantas and its low-cost subsidiary Jetstar anticipated flying 350,000 passengers across their domestic networks as the holidays ended. Reports from Australia's busiest airport, Sydney (SYD), on Sunday morning suggest that once again, cancelations were spiking, and passengers in crowded arrivals halls were taking hours to get their baggage.
"Much has been said about Qantas in the last few months," said Mr David. "Some of it's fair, as we're absolutely not delivering the service that our customers expect, but some of it fails to take into consideration what's...
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