Qantas apologizes to travelers for operational challenges

Australian national airline Qantas has apologized to travelers for recent flight delays, cancellations, and lost baggage following the heavy demand for air travel.

The airline is currently offering AU$50 (US$34) worth vouchers, loyalty status extensions, and lounge passes to frequent travelers to thank them for their patience in the wake of travel disruptions.

“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,” Qantas CEO Alan Joyce said. “On behalf of the national carrier, I want to apologize and assure you that we’re working hard to get back to our best.”

He added: “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.”

This summer has been plagued by travel disruption across the world, including Australia, with carriers and airports struggling to cope with the rebound in travel demand after the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to Qantas, the airline has hired 1,500 new employees since spring 2022 and invested AU$15 million (US$ 10 million) in new technology at key airports to help smooth the travel experience.