Airlines
Who is Vanessa Hudson, the first female CEO of Qantas Airways? look up her background.
The Qantas Group has today announced Vanessa Hudson will become the next CEO and Managing Director, taking over from Alan Joyce when he retires in November 2023.
Ms Hudson is currently the Group’s Chief Financial Officer and has worked in a number of executive positions across the Group over 28 years, including Chief Customer Officer and Senior Vice President for Qantas across the Americas and New Zealand.
Ms Hudson will continue in her current role while also being CEO designate and joining the Board, before taking over as the company’s 13th CEO in 103 years following the 2023 Annual General Meeting. An announcement on a new CFO will be made in the months ahead.
Chairman Richard Goyder said the appointment came after a rigorous selection process and allows for a smooth transition from current CEO Alan Joyce.
About Vanessa Hudson
Vanessa Hudson joined Qantas in 1994. Since then she has held a variety of senior commercial, customer and finance roles across the Group, in Australia and overseas, including Executive Manager of Sales and Distribution; Senior Vice President for Qantas across the Americas and New Zealand; Executive Manager of Commercial Planning; and Executive Manager for Product and Service.
In these various roles her responsibilities ranged from sales channels, revenue management and network planning, to transformation in catering, airports and network.
In February 2018, Vanessa was appointed to the role of Chief Customer Officer and became a member of the Group Management Committee.
In October 2019, Vanessa became the Group’s Chief Financial Officer and held this portfolio through the COVID crisis, when sudden border closures saw revenue evaporate in a matter of weeks. Careful management through this period – including equity raising, debt raising and asset sales – saw the company make it through the crisis and ultimately emerge with a stronger balance sheet than pre-COVID.
Vanessa has a Bachelor of Business and was admitted as a Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in 1994. She lives in Sydney with her husband and two daughters.
Career Summary
Qantas
2019 – Present: Chief Financial Officer
2018 – 2019: Chief Customer Officer
2016 – 2018: Executive Manager, Sales and Distribution
2013 – 2016: Senior Executive Vice President, The Americas
2010 – 2013: Executive Manager, Commercial Planning
2005 – 2010: Executive Manager, Product Services
2001 – 2005: General Manager, Inflight Services
1997 – 2001: Catering Product Manager
1995 – 1997: Financial Controller, Commercial Division
1994 – 1995: Internal Audit Supervisor
Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu
1992 – 1994: External Audit
Airlines
Turkish Airlines in Talks for New Planes, with New MRO Facility
Turkish Airlines is set to embark on a significant expansion journey, eyeing the acquisition of 235 new aircraft from both Airbus and Boeing.
Chairman Ahmet Bolat recently disclosed this development, emphasizing the airline’s commitment to balanced engagement with both major aircraft manufacturers. This move comes in the wake of Turkish Airlines‘ ambitious 10-year fleet plan, unveiled last year, which aims for a substantial increase in its fleet size by nearly 600 planes. As reported by Reuters.
In December, the airline solidified a substantial portion of this plan by securing a deal with Airbus for 355 firm and optional orders, encompassing A321 narrow body and A350 wide body aircraft.
During an event in Istanbul attended by representatives from Airbus and Rolls-Royce, Bolat underscored the airline’s strategy of maintaining equilibrium between Airbus and Boeing. He also highlighted Turkish Airlines’ patience in awaiting resolution of Boeing’s challenges before finalizing its decision.
Moreover, Bolat revealed discussions with Rolls-Royce regarding the potential establishment of maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) capabilities within Türkiye, along with exploring additional avenues for supply-chain sourcing.
Recently, Turkish Airlines is set to redefine luxury air travel with the introduction of its next-generation business class suite, codenamed “Crystal,” slated for release in 2025. These luxurious private suites will first be introduced on the Boeing 777 fleet, with plans to expand to Airbus A350-1000 jets in the future.
The Crystal Suites will feature private compartments with sliding doors, offering passengers an intimate and secluded space to relax and work during their journey. Boasting a 1-2-1 configuration, each seat will provide direct aisle access, ensuring maximum convenience for travelers.
Airlines
Singapore Airlines Ordered to Pay $3,580 to Couple over Faulty Seats
Following a dispute over defective seats during their voyage from India to Australia last year, Singapore Airlines (SIA) has been compelled to pay a sum exceeding S$3,500 to an Indian couple.
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission in Hyderabad ruled in favour of Ravi and Anjali Gupta, who on May 23, 2023, had problems with their business class seats that were meant to automatically recline on their flight from Hyderabad to Australia via Singapore.
Reports from media outlets in India highlighted the discomfort experienced by the couple, who were compelled to endure the entire journey without the benefit of reclining seats, despite having paid a significant amount which cost around 66,750 rupees (S$1,090) for each ticket, lodged a complaint during the flight, expressing their dissatisfaction with the situation.
Singapore Airlines initially offered compensation in the form of 10,000 KrisFlyer miles per person, which was declined by the passengers. As reported by CNA, Singapore Airlines apologised for any difficulty the technical failure may have caused and acknowledged the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission of Hyderabad’s ruling.
SIA clarified that while the automatic recline feature on Mr. and Mrs. Gupta’s seats experienced a glitch, the manual recline function remained operational during the flight from Hyderabad to Singapore.
Regrettably, due to a fully occupied flight, SIA staff were unable to arrange alternative seating within the business class cabin. However, the airline asserts that its crew diligently monitored the couple’s comfort throughout the journey, offering to manually adjust the seats as needed.
Airlines
Cathay Pacific asks business class customers to bring their own cutlery
In an innovative move towards sustainability, renowned Hong Kong carrier Cathay Pacific has recently floated an unconventional idea to its business class customers.
Bringing their own cutlery sets onboard. This initiative, revealed through a member survey circulated within the airline’s “Cathay Lab” community – a platform comprising frequent business class travelers – has stirred a wave of curiosity within the aviation industry.
With sustainability becoming an increasing concern in aviation, Cathay Pacific’s survey aimed to gauge passengers‘ willingness to partake in various eco-friendly practices during their journeys.
Among the initiatives presented, including refilling reusable water bottles and recycling plastic, the prospect of bringing personal cutlery garnered significant attention. Some members expressed practical concerns, questioning the feasibility of carrying cutlery through airport security and the potential inconvenience for passengers unaware of regulations.
Others suggested that Cathay Pacific should simply provide reusable cutlery onboard instead. Furthermore, there were suspicions among some respondents that the BYO cutlery proposal might be a precursor to introducing additional charges, with one user humorously envisioning a scenario where the airline lends cutlery sets for a fee.
Despite the skepticism surrounding the proposal, Cathay Pacific’s exploration of innovative sustainability measures reflects a broader industry trend towards environmental consciousness.