AFTER a protracted period of frustration from its customers, Qantas has this week looked to shore up some much-needed good will by gifting its loyalty members with a series of discounts and bonuses.
Fronting the apology campaign personally, CEO Alan Joyce conceded the airline had failed to meet the expectations of travellers, and was now reaching out to formally apologise for recent operational challenges and thank them for their patience.
“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,” Joyce conceded.
“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,” Joyce added.
To help make amends, Qantas is offering its Frequent Flyer members $50 towards a return flight from Australia or New Zealand and 12-month status extensions for Silver loyalty members.
The carrier has also extended its previously announced commitment of up to 50% more reward seat availability on Qantas International, trans-Tasman and domestic routes until 30 Jun 2023, as well as a gift of Qantas Points for Platinum and Platinum One members.
However, the move predictably earned the ire of the Transport Workers Union, with National Secretary Michael Kaine claiming Qantas customers would see through the latest “gimmick”.
“If Qantas management or indeed Joyce really cared about customers, the right thing to do would be to appoint a new CEO with the business acumen to bring back highly trained, experienced workers and treat them with respect – only then will the Spirit of Australia be returned to this nation,” Kaine said.
