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Former Qantas Alan Joyce speaks at the 2025 Australian Aviation Summit.
From survival to strategy: Alan Joyce on aviation’s future
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When Alan Joyce took the stage at the Australian Aviation Summit in Sydney in August 2025, it wasn’t just another industry speech. The controversial former Qantas chief executive, whose 15-year tenure saw the airline through some of the most turbulent years in modern aviation, used his address, “From survival to strategy: aviation’s moment to lead”, to deliver something closer to a manifesto.
The tone was reflective but urgent. “I’ve spent my entire professional life in aviation: more than 36 years now,” Joyce began, setting the scene for a speech that would chart the trajectory of a sector now standing at a crossroads. “I’ve witnessed aviation endure and overcome the most complex and confronting disruptions any industry can face.”
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says:A.J. is possibly the most controversial C.E.O in Oz history; for the majority of his tenure with QF his name or face was a daily dose of whatever! mostly the comments were not “encouraging” but at the end, QF crossed the finishing line bruised, sore and at the end still in “The black”, not insolvent, able to move on and up. Yes, the critics may have had a point on, but what about the staff, morale and general wellbeing. Let me tell you that at that level of management, that is what your H.R Dept does, the CEO, under the board members, has to chart the way forward for the company as without that, you won’t have staff end of.
A.J.’s vision for the future, well, when Alan mentions diversity, I get worried; – A.I. is a valuable tool, that’s all, not a policy. SAF yes is concerning, and a thorough investigation must be achieved prior to commitment to it. Can we keep increasing the numbers of aircraft actually flying? – I have to agree with that esteemed gentleman in DXB, re-engine the A380, go check with Rolls Royce and Airbus and even further investigate the use of Turbo Prop power with its vast improvements, economy and speed over yesteryear.
Perhaps the biggest upcoming problem is staffing, skills, numbers of, commitment and willingness to move forward to the future with the company and most importantly getting the Unions on side; maybe we need to legislate that being a union official is not a ticket to federal politics and eventual government which is only based on ideology not actual work experience and or qualifications.
As regular readers may recall, I am not a fan of A.J. but I can say that he was the only one that could have steered QF out this mess, not perfect but dead set not bad either.