QF arrests “loss of trust”

IT WAS a very self-reflective mood at Qantas’ Annual General Meeting this morning, with both CEO Vanessa Hudson and Chair Richard Goyder acknowledging a loss of trust and a need for “renewal” moving forward.

Mitigating the recent brand damage was clearly top-of-mind for the carrier’s new chief, who said Qantas had undertaken a number of improvements to win back favour from customers.

Among the recent tweaks was the removal of fees associated with changing the name on tickets if mistakes are made, while working with banking partners to automate refunds was flagged as another key area.

Further changes being considered include bringing more of its call centre staff on shore, as well as more enhancements to the Qantas app, which the carrier has already invested tens of million of dollars in recent months to “rebuild from scratch”.

“I am determined to make Qantas one of the most trusted brands in the country again,” Hudson told shareholders.

“Doing this won’t be easy and will take time but I am are confident we will succeed.”

Hudson also confirmed that by the end of 2024, Qantas will have its first A321XLR for domestic operations, and beyond that will start taking delivery of A350s and extra B787s to service its international operations.

On the loyalty front, Hudson revealed more improvements will be made to its Frequent Flyer program from next year. AB