{"id":120839,"date":"2023-11-06T14:19:21","date_gmt":"2023-11-06T14:19:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/leviolonrouge.com\/?p=120839"},"modified":"2023-11-06T14:19:21","modified_gmt":"2023-11-06T14:19:21","slug":"major-airline-on-brink-after-ghost-flight-scandal-and-illegal-sackings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/leviolonrouge.com\/world-news\/major-airline-on-brink-after-ghost-flight-scandal-and-illegal-sackings\/","title":{"rendered":"Major airline on brink after ‘ghost flight’ scandal and ‘illegal sackings’"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

Qantas has fallen out of favour with unions, customers and shareholders who have thrown out a pay package proposal for the beleaguered airline’s bosses.<\/p>\n

More than four-fifths of the votes went against the company’s remuneration report, a tally shown at the meeting on Friday (November 3) shows.<\/p>\n

Chairman Richard Goyder told the meeting in Melbourne: “This is obviously a very clear message from shareholders.”<\/p>\n

The company’s new board faces a huge task in turning its fortunes around after a slew of disappointing headlines in recent months, with 1,700 workers sacked, accusations of “ghost flights” and a plummeting share price.<\/p>\n

Former Qantas executive, Andrew Charlton, managing director of consultancy Aviation Advocacy, said Australians used to be proud of the carrier, known affectionately as the “flying kangaroo”.<\/p>\n

READ MORE… <\/strong> Police attacked by mob throwing petrol bombs and fireworks in horror scenes<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

He told the Financial Times<\/span><\/span>: “If you take that loyalty for granted . . . that starts to chip away. The seemingly ceaseless scandals and service lapses mean that now, Qantas has even lost Australia.”<\/p>\n

Former CEO Alan Joyce stepped down early two months ago, despite leaving Qantas in a good position after the Covid pandemic.<\/p>\n

He won praise from Mr Goyder for steering the company through what he said was “the most challenging and tumultuous period in the airline\u2019s history”.<\/p>\n

Qantas reported a \u00a31.3billion (Aus$2.5bn) underlying pre-tax profit for the year ending in June and announced a A$500mn share buyback.<\/p>\n

Don’t miss… <\/strong>
Met Office verdict on snow hitting UK as Arctic plume to see temperatures drop[REVEALED] <\/strong>
What Charles really told Harry and Meghan before leaving Palace party exposed[REPORT] <\/strong>
\u2018Epoch-defining challenges mean Britain must boost defence spending'[LATEST] <\/strong><\/p>\n

But cost-cutting measures led to lost bags and cancelled flights, upsetting the airline’s customers.<\/p>\n

A consumer regulator accused Qantas of selling thousands of tickets for flights which had already been cancelled and sued the carrier in August.<\/p>\n

The FT reports that shareholders criticised the airline’s so-called “ghost flights” defence after the company argued it does not sell a ticket when the customer books a flight but a “bundle of rights”.<\/p>\n

A court ruled in September that Qantas illegally sacked 1,700 workers in the pandemic, leading to a huge compensation bill.<\/p>\n