Doug Parker
Qantas has appointed former American Airlines CEO and Chairmen Doug Parker to join its board and help oversee the airline during the post-pandemic phase.
Parker joins the board as of May 23. He replaces retiring director Michael L’Estrange, who will step down at the carrier’s annual general meeting (AGM) in November. Parker was CEO of American for eight years and was also previously CEO of America West and US Airways.
Qantas noted that “while [Parker] was CEO of American Airlines, its relationship with Qantas expanded significantly as the two carriers formed a joint business [agreement].”
The AGM will also mark a major change in Qantas executive leadership. Longtime CEO Alan Joyce is due to retire then and will be replaced by CFO Vanessa Hudson.
In a separate investor update, Qantas projected it will report a pre-tax underlying profit of A$2.425-2.475 billion ($1.611-1.644 billion) for the financial year ending June 30.
Qantas forecasts that its group domestic capacity will reach 104% of pre-pandemic levels by the end of fiscal 2023. Group international capacity is expected to reach 80% by that time.
The carrier said the international recovery rate is “slightly below plan.” This is due to supply issues earlier in its fiscal year, “such as a three-month delay to restarting Melbourne-Hong Kong due to a shortage of ground handlers,” the airline said.
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