The Chairman's Lounge

The Inside Story of How Qantas Sold Us Out

By: Joe Aston

Narrated by: Joe Aston

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

©2024 Joe Aston (P)2024 Simon & Schuster Audio

Critic reviews

‘A masterclass in investigative journalism and a gripping, must read. Aston's blistering exposé of Qantas is a scathing, unflinching takedown of greed, delusion and a shameless abuse of power, both jaw-dropping and brilliantly incisive.’ (Adele Ferguson)

‘A cracking read … Joe Aston is a once-in-a-generation adornment to business journalism with fearless resolve, razor sharp intellect and remarkable writing skills.’ (Hedley Thomas)

‘Helmets are required for this book, the zingers never stop.’ (Kate McClymont)

Outstanding accounting of Qantas and storytelling

Just as entertaining as the high quality of journalism. Anyone from a novice to an industry insider can follow the story and make sense of this modern day Shakespearean tragedy.