Australian Aviation

The former Qantas CEO is having $2.2 million in short-term bonuses withheld, with a total of $14.4 million in incentives subject to malus and clawback when coupled with long-term bonuses he was already granted. The group has reduced its senior executives’ bonuses by 20 per cent, with the remainder to be withheld while an ACCC court case proceeds.

Speaking before the Senate Select Committee on Bilateral Air Service Agreements (ASAs), Geoff Culbert revealed that, though Australia’s agreement with the UAE allows for 168 flights per week into the four main gateways of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth, only 84 of these are being used.

The point-to-point airline will fly between Darwin and its two Queensland bases at the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast, as well as between Melbourne and Alice Springs, for a total of 12 flights per week and 116,000 seats per year to and from the Northern Territory.

Scott Charlton, who has served as CEO of toll road giant Transurban since 2012, will step into the role at Australia’s biggest airport on 1 December. It follows Geoff Culbert announcing his resignation in May after almost six years in Sydney Airport’s top job.

It comes after the High Court unanimously upheld a ruling earlier this month that the Flying Kangaroo was wrong to sack the ground handlers during the pandemic and outsource the roles to external companies. 

TWU boss Michael Kaine made the claim after he spoke to the new Qantas CEO, Vanessa Hudson, following the High Court’s ruling that the Flying Kangaroo was wrong to made 1,700 workers redundant.