Qantas bans former executives from staff perks

By Ayesha de Kretser / Australian Financial Review

Qantas head of international flying Cam Wallace has written to the airline’s current and former directors and executives to tell them they won’t be allowed to use their staff flying entitlements to fly first class on Project Sunrise planes.

That means the man who signed off on the ambitious project to introduce non-stop flights from Sydney to London and New York, former chief executive Alan Joyce, won’t be flying at the front unless he pays his own way.

Qantas expects to start receiving the first of 12 new Airbus A350-1000 ULR aircraft at the end of next year. The aircraft, modified with an additional fuel tank, are scheduled to start flying the new routes by mid-2027.

And while the plane will feature six first class suites, unlike the Dreamliner Boeing 787-9 service Qantas currently flies between Perth and London, the pointy end will be off limits for the airline’s directors past and present.

A spokesman confirmed that Wallace had written to directors including former chief executive Alan Joyce and former chairman Richard Goyder, as well as the suite of directors who exited the airline’s board amid major investor unrest in 2023, to let them know of the changes.

The same rule applies to all Qantas staff, including pilots and chief executive Vanessa Hudson.

They will, however, be allowed to use staff entitlements to fly first class on A380 planes, which have 14 suites. They can also pay to fly or secure seats using frequent flyer points.

Qantas has overhauled its first class product for the A350. The wider suites feature a separate bed and recliner, a large TV, wardrobe, and premium amenities.

The airline has also started adding Aesop amenity kits, Bollinger champagne and premium pyjamas and slippers to first class to meet the growing expectations of high-end customers being enticed by premier offerings elsewhere while it waits for its Sunrise project to take flight.