Profile: Alan Joyce — the Irishman who was the head of Australia's biggest airline

Mr Joyce's tenure as chief executive of Qantas Group made him one of the longest-serving chief executives of a major Australian company, and a high-profile figure in the global aviation industry

Alan Joyce led Qantas Group through some of the most difficult periods ever seen in international aviation including the financial crisis and the covid pandemic. 

With Qantas Group engulfed in a ticketing scandal, its long-term chief executive, Irishman Alan Joyce, has opted to step down immediately two months ahead of his expected retirement date.

This brings to an end Mr Joyce’s career with the company, which has seen him guide the airline through extremely turbulent times, including the financial crisis, the pandemic, fluctuating fuel prices, and a bruising market share battle with Virgin Australia domestically, and international rivals such as Emirates and Etihad Airways.