Hudson message step to cleanse Qantas’s sins

Five days ago, I found myself marveling at an email I’d received from Qantas CEO, Vanessa Hudson.

The grubby Qantas Board’s anointed Chief Stewardess emailed me.

How flattered was I?

Oh, hang on, there’s nothing to be flattered about. It turns out I was one of many thousands Hudson had reached out to. 

Just like the many thousands of loyal customers Qantas has been systemically ripping off and rorting for some time, me included.

Embedded in the email, was a personalised video message that ran for nearly 2 minutes. What a nice touch.

It was Hudson commencing her and Qantas’s sorrowful and unconvincing road to redemption.

Sadly though, it missed the mark. 

As a Qantas Platinum member and valued customer – that’s how Qantas referred to me as, and we are expected to welcome Qantas’s version of a heartfelt apology with the expectation of ‘forgiveness’.

Of course, we should be forgiving for how they consistently deliver poor service, stole a friends status credit points, speak condescendingly, lie, barred him during COVID from using the business lounge and not be able to earn points for a six-month period.

All because he dared to ask if he could use a flight credit of his to fly my children interstate - but was denied.

Well, it’s his money Jack, and when he challenged why he couldn’t use his money how he chose to, he was told they’re the rules.

Flight credits only last for a year, and with the former Premier of Victoria Dan Andrews’ insatiable desire to lock the State down and everything with it indefinitely, there was no chance of him flying anywhere.

That was a ticket and money wasted and straight into Qantas’s coffers.

Weeks later he received a letter outlining Qantas was investigating a complaint made by the said officer.

He was advised how they value the safety of staff and passengers and portrayed him as a safety threat.

And yet, he was still allowed to fly.

So much for valuing staff and passenger safety.

This was more about Qantas flexing its muscle, ripping off another customer, acquiring money under false pretence, than providing ‘REAL’ customer service.

A six-month suspension lasted 16-months and wasn’t reinstated at the end of its concluding period.

Hundreds of calls made to have it lifted along with his status credit points Qantas stole back which was not stated in the suspension letter’s terms became pointless.

Then November last year, on a flight returning from Sydney, flying Virgin, he visited the business lounge and explained the situation to the manager.

Hours later, his suspension was lifted, an his status credit points returned.

And there are thousands more stories like it.

As far as a video message goes from the Chief Stewardess herself, it began with the standard apology.

“We were wrong.

“We’re going to do better.

“We know we’ve let Australians down.

“We’re going to fix things.

“We’re employing more call centre staff.

“There’ll be more flexibility to fix things etc.”

But no matter how much Hudson emphasises with her hands, it felt disingenuous.

It was obvious, delivering her plea for absolution was uncomfortable, unconvincing, and lacked warmth.

What was sensed was insincerity - platitudes served without honesty  - the delivery was wrong and so was some of the content.

If Hudson is sincere about righting the wrongs and resetting Qantas, there’s several things that must be done, to rebuild credibility and have any chance of it becoming the trusted brand it once was.

Hudson must re-engineer Qantas’s culture.

As Qantas’s new Chief Stewardess, she’s an unproven talent.

Hudson maybe the Grubby Board’s choice of CEO, given her number crunching abilities and hardline approach toward sacrificing service delivery for the bottom line for greater profit margins, but it’s not what Australians want.

Qantas doesn’t need a hardline number cruncher but someone who understands people and service delivery and knows how to rebuild a ruined product.

But is there anyone in corporate Australia capable of resurrecting a company destroyed by greed and arrogance?

For now, Australians are stuck with Hudson.

If Hudson’s genuine about restoring faith and trust to win back Australians, she needs to:

Clean house and sack most of Qantas’s executive team.

Employ talented people who care about delivering service.

Weed out jaded staff no longer committed to the brand.

Stop price gouging loyal customers.

Afford greater flexibility with flight and travel.

And accept competition as a performance enhancer and not hide behind the coat tails of Government.

If Hudson is genuine, she’ll do what needs to be done.

This is her chance.