Qantas has issued an apology to millions of customers for recent “operational challenges”.
The airline is introducing a range of initiatives to improve mishandled bags and on time performance as it also deals with high levels of sick leave due to flu, Covid-19 and isolation requirements, as well as an industry-wide labour shortage.
Qantas has hired 1,500 new staff since April with more to come, adjusted flight schedules and spent A$15 million on new technology at key airports to help smooth the travel experience.
Speaking directly to frequent flyers via an email and video message being sent today (Monday), Qantas Group chief Alan Joyce acknowledged that the return to flying after the pandemic has not all gone smoothly.
He said: “Over the past few months, too many of you have had flights delayed, flights cancelled and bags misplaced. There are good reasons why, but when it comes to what you expect from Qantas, it’s not good enough.
“On behalf of the national carrier, I want to apologise and assure you that we’re working hard to get back to our best.
“We’re already seeing a sustained improvement in baggage handling and on-time performance, and while factors out of our control like weather can have an impact on our schedule, we expect things to keep improving each week.
“As well as saying sorry, we also want to say thank you. We’re investing in a range of initiatives including status extensions for frequent flyers silver and above, thousands of Qantas Points and lounge passes.
“All our frequent flyers in Australia and New Zealand will be offered A$50 towards a return Qantas flight, which equates to many millions in discounts.”
Meanwhile, Qantas is expanding its South Pacific presence with the addition of Tonga to its network, with a weekly Airbus A330 flight from Sydney alongside a service to Samoa.