Former Qantas CEO Alan Joyce to release candid memoir of Qantas years

Former Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce is set to lift the curtain on 15 turbulent years at Australia’s flagship airline, with a new memoir to be published by Hardie Grant Books in 2026.

Mr Joyce, who stepped down in September 2023 after announcing his retirement earlier that year, said the book would be a candid account of his time at the helm.

“I’m looking forward to setting the record straight; the book will be a forthright and honest account of my time as CEO of Australia’s national flagship. Nothing will be off limits,” Mr Joyce said.

Born in Dublin to a factory worker and a cleaner, Mr Joyce was the first in his extended family to pursue higher education.

His career in aviation began at Aer Lingus, before moving to Ansett Australia and later joining Qantas, where he became founding chief executive of the low-cost arm Jetstar in 2003. Five years later, he was appointed chief executive of Qantas Airways.

Mr Joyce’s tenure coincided with some of the airline industry’s most challenging periods, including the global financial crisis, record fuel costs, the QF32 engine failure, and the unprecedented 2011 grounding of Qantas’s entire main line fleet during industrial disputes.

The controversial move drew criticism for its audacity, but supporters argued that it forced a resolution that ultimately strengthened the airline.

The Covid-19 pandemic further tested Qantas under Mr Joyce’s leadership, with international flights cut, planes mothballed, and staff stood down.

The airline later faced the consequences, being ordered earlier this year to pay $90m, the largest industrial relations penalty in Australian corporate history, over the illegal sacking of 1820 workers during the pandemic.

The Federal Court had previously ruled in 2021 that outsourcing baggage handling and cleaning breached Australia’s industrial laws, and a judge criticised the airline for a lack of genuine contrition throughout the lengthy legal process.

Qantas has separately agreed to a $120m compensation package for the affected employees.

Mr Joyce’s memoir will also explore his role as a vocal advocate for social causes. After publicly identifying as gay, he campaigned for marriage equality and became one of Australia’s most prominent openly gay corporate leaders.

Hardie Grant Books publishing director Pam Brewster said the memoir captured a “fearless leader who took on critics and championed equality while steering Qantas through its stormiest skies”.

“It’s a story of grit, conviction, and the price of taking a stand. As an Irishman, Alan can tell a great story, and his will be highly entertaining, engrossing and revelatory,” Ms Brewster said.

The memoir promises to offer an unfiltered perspective on the decisions, controversies, and personal convictions that defined Mr Joyce’s leadership.