The Chairman's Lounge
The Inside Story of How Qantas Sold Us Out
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The Chairman's Lounge
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Narrated by:
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Joe Aston
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By:
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Joe Aston
About this listen
From the must-listen journalist on how power, money and influence work in this country, the full story of how one of the nation’s favourite brands brought itself to ground.
Before COVID, both Qantas and its CEO Alan Joyce were flying high, the darlings of customers, staff and investors. After Covid hit, only money mattered—in particular, the company’s share price and extraordinary executive bonuses. Illegally redundant workers, unethical flight credits, abysmal customer service, antique aircraft: these became Qantas’ new brand.
How did things go so badly wrong? Why were customers at the end of the queue? And how did an increasingly autocratic Joyce constantly get his own way, with the Qantas board and with both Liberal and Labor governments, which handed over billions in subsidies and protected lucrative flight routes from foreign competition? For the first time, The Chairman’s Lounge tells the full story of how one company banked the nation’s loyalty and then cashed in on it.
In his celebrated column Rear Window for the Australian Financial Review, Joe Aston’s reporting of the ethical failings of Qantas spurred the early retirement of its CEO and the resignation of its chairman. With fresh interviews and revelations, written in Aston’s trademark swashbuckling style, The Chairman’s Lounge is the definitive account of how Qantas was brought to ground and who did it. It is a parable of our times.
‘A masterclass in investigative journalism … A scathing, unflinching takedown of greed, delusion and a shameless abuse of power, both jaw-dropping and brilliantly incisive’
Adele Ferguson
Critic Reviews
What listeners say about The Chairman's Lounge
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Robert Hitchins
- 31-10-2024
Glad I’m not a shareholder
Given the quasi-sacred status of the national carrier in the national psyche, and the squirrel grip it holds on the national travel dollar, every Australian should read this book. Everyone with a non-self managed super account, and many with a self-managed one, are shareholders in this schemozzle.
The prose is crisp, clear, and dispassionate in its dissection of the subject matter. There’s precious little of Mr Aston’s trademark sarcasm. He doesn’t need it. The facts speak for themselves and are no laughing matter. His narration’s pretty good too.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Fraserdude
- 23-11-2024
Outrage for all Australians
A must read if you fly Qantas. They really don't deserve your business!
Demonstrates how Qantas went from trusted Australian company to corporate leech stealing from, not only their customers, but the Australian taxpayer. How they manipulated the market, accepted $2bn covid payment while laying off workers at the same time. How politicians accepted the the bribe of Chairman's lounge memberships even for family members. Right up to the Prime Minister.
A lame board and Chairman that let it happen.
Best read with an Aircraft sick bag in one hand because this will make you sick!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Leroy
- 02-11-2024
Joe is brilliant.
Joe is brilliant. Incredibly well researched and well written, a very entertaining read for all.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Lainey
- 09-11-2024
Excellent depth of information
This is a riveting listen. I knew things were bad at Qantas but the detail Joe uncovered is beyond belief.
An example of how a Board should NOT operate but the board members always seem to get away with facing the full consequences of their inaction.
I’m afraid Alan Joyce got what he deserved he can only blame himself.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Andrew Eddie
- 13-11-2024
Outstanding book !!!
So shocking in its amazingly fine detail, but beautifully written and read by Joe Aston .. huge admiration for his talent in telling a must-listen to story .. so intricate and detailed , yet conveyed in a most enthralling but easy to follow story. One of the best books I’ve ‘read’ in many years.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Kay
- 08-12-2024
Amazing - thank you for writing this book
Joe, on behalf of all Australians, thank you for writing this book. Let this be the lesson for all companies re the cost of putting profit before anything else. Essential reading for ASX company CEOs and for all members and students of the AICD.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Good Fellow
- 08-12-2024
The Chairmen’s lounge the doorway to hell not status redemption.
From the how power, money and influence work in this company the full story of how one of the nation’s favourite brands brought itself to ground.
Before Covid, both Qantas and its CEO Alan Joyce were flying high, the darlings of customers, staff and investors. After Covid hit, only money mattered – in particular, the company’s share price and extraordinary executive bonuses. Illegally redundant workers, unethical flight credits, abysmal customer service, antique aircraft: these became Qantas’ new brand. Along with offering of AJ PJ’s competition for P1 luring back gifting at a much lower level showing how little such customers matter nowadays.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jamie
- 14-12-2024
Disturbing
Allowed me to think about Qantas and cooperate Australia in a new way. Or interest to all, particularly us addicted to ff status!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 20-12-2024
Im cancelling my QFF membership
Such a great book. Couldn’t stop listening to the story of how Qantas lost its way and the F U to its customers.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Dean Holmes
- 18-11-2024
great insights into corporate operations of Qantas and the politics of business
great insights into corporate operations of Qantas and the politics of business in Australia. you might even want to cancel your QFF membership after reading
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