It seems even the former boss of Australia’s biggest airline is having to wait for his bags at the airport like everyone else, after Alan Joyce was spotted standing at the baggage carousel.
The former Qantas boss was seen chatting to another man while waiting for his luggage at the Sydney Airport carousel early on Monday morning, having arrived from an overseas trip.
Mr. Joyce looked casual in light-colored pants, black sneakers, a button-down shirt and a black jacket.
Beside him were bleary-eyed passengers in sweatpants waiting for their own suitcases.
It comes after Joyce had $9 million cut from his pay package after a scathing review blamed him for damaging Qantas’ reputation.
In August, Qantas announced it would reduce Joyce’s remuneration by $9.26 million, mainly by canceling long-term incentives.
Before being stripped of those long-term incentives, the former CEO had total compensation of $11.919 million in 2022-23, including a base salary of $2.145 million.
Joyce, who led Qantas as chief executive for 15 years before stepping down in September last year, has faced intense criticism over canceled flights, lost luggage and accusations of exploiting customers with exorbitant prices.
Former Qantas CEO Alan Joyce was seen waiting for his luggage at Sydney Airport early on Monday morning.
The former Qantas boss was seen chatting to another man while waiting for his luggage at the Sydney Airport carousel early on Monday morning, having arrived from an overseas trip.
The review, published in August by former McKinsey partner Tom Saar and commissioned by Qantas, found the airline’s reputational mistreatment was largely due to “too much deference” to a long-serving CEO.
“The group had a ‘command and control’ leadership style with centralized decisions and an experienced and dominant chief executive,” the review said.
The review concluded that while there were no deliberate findings of wrongdoing, errors made by the airline’s management caused “significant reputational and customer service issues.”
In June last year, Joyce also sold $17 million worth of Qantas shares just days after the airline provided details of canceled flights to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.
Joyce, an Australian born in Ireland and from humble beginnings in Dublin, earned around $150 million during his tenure at Qantas.
Since Joyce left Qantas in September 2023, he and his husband Shane Lloyd have been splitting their time between their home at Whale Beach, on Sydney’s northern beaches, and their penthouse at The Rocks in the CBD.
Joyce previously told Daily Mail Australia he would work as a director for the Sydney Theater Company and do charity work.
“But they told me I have to take a year off,” he said.
Joyce and Lloyd are also spearheading a scholarship competition on their behalf for LGBTQIA+ Australian playwrights to work in New York.
Joyce was replaced by former CFO Vanessa Hudson.
