Alan Joyce and Qantas

Alan Joyce & Qantas- The Trials and Transformation of an Australian Icon is the fascinating, unauthorised story of Alan Joyce's meteoric rise and turbulent 15-year tenure as the CEO of Qantas.

The twists and turns of the last 15 years of the Qantas story contains all the ingredients of a corporate thriller, with its constant shocks to the system, boardroom dramas and disasters narrowly avoided. During this tumultuous period, as CEO of Australia's iconic airline, Alan Joyce became one of the best-known corporate figures in Australia, and one of the most polarising.

He's had to steer the company through cyclones and bushfires, volcanic ash clouds and a tsunami, a pandemic, two fleet groundings, intense union battles and a bitter turf-war. He's been through mass-sackings, defections from his inner-circle, constant calls for his resignation, personal bust-ups and betrayals, and question-marks over the survival of the company.

He's been vilified in the media and lauded in the corporate world, called a 'leprechaun', copped a pie in the face, battled homophobia, fought for diversity, endured death threats, Senate grillings, a cancer scare, record-high oil prices, record-low customer ratings, wildly fluctuating interest rates and share prices, huge profits and crippling losses, and a horrific period of post-Covid recovery.

By any standard, it's been a remarkable ride. Through it all, Qantas has emerged a transformed airline, wearing some scars but more fit for purpose than ever, primed for the future. Throughout, the Aussie-Irishman Joyce has been unerringly true to his principles - personal and professional - but what will his legacy be when the contrails of his tenure fade?

Global aviation expert Peter Harbison tells the full and unvarnished story of this fascinating period of the Qantas journey, through the insights and anecdotes of business leaders, politicians, union bosses, analysts, media critics, rivals and insiders - and the man at the helm through it all- Alan Joyce.

About the Authors

Peter Harbison is globally recognised as an authority on the aviation industry and his views are frequently sought by the industry and the media. He has been working in and writing for the aviation industry for more than 50 years. For over 30 years, he ran an airline consulting and business events and data business.

Lead Researcher Derek Sadubin, has worked closely with Peter Harbison for over 20 years as a writer and data analyst.