Australian airline Qantas withholds some of Ex-CEO Alan Joyce’s payout after controversy

Earlier this month, Mr Joyce announced he would leave his job immediately, two months earlier than planned, following a series of embarrassing revelations about the company. Pic:  AP Photo/Rick Rycroft, File

Qantas Airways withheld some of ex-CEO Alan Joyce’s A$21.4m (€12.9m) final payout after the airline illegally sacked 1,700 staff and was accused of selling fake tickets on thousands of cancelled flights.

Bowing to public outrage, chairman of the Australian airline Richard Goyder retained A$2.2m of Irishman Mr Joyce’s short-term bonuses, while a further A$8.3m is subject to clawback, the airline said in a statement accompanying its annual report.

“The company is experiencing an acute loss of trust from the community, and accumulated disappointment from customers, which the board and management are determined to fix,” Mr Goyder said.

Mr Joyce, originally from Dublin, recently said that after 15 years running the national carrier he was bringing forward his planned retirement date.

Earlier this month, Mr Joyce announced he would leave his job immediately, two months earlier than planned, following a series of embarrassing revelations about the company.

- Bloomberg with additional reporting by the Irish Examiner