This isn’t a one-off glitch: Qantas pilots blast airline over data hack of 6 million customers

Qantas is facing another crisis, this time over its handling of a cyber privacy breach that affected 5.7 million customers, including some frequent flyers. The airline's latest misstep has sparked outrage among its pilots and staff, who are questioning the company's commitment to customer safety and security.

If Qantas were a person, it'd be the guy at the bar who spills your drink, blames the table, and then proceeds to do nothing except make lame excuses and wander off without offering to buy you a fresh one. The airline's latest crisis is no different – last week's cyber privacy breach has left customers' personal data exposed, and with no clear explanation of how it happened or what Qantas plans to do about it.

Qantas says it knows who had what data stolen, but so far, that information hasn't been shared with those affected. The airline is contacting individuals affected by the breach, but many are left wondering why they're not being told more about what went wrong and how Qantas plans to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Qantas' management has downplayed the breach as a "technical issue" – no mention of a cyberattack or malicious activity. The airline's CEO, Vanessa Hudson, has also been criticized for her handling of the crisis, with some accusing her of being out of touch with reality and unwilling to take responsibility.

"This isn't a one-off glitch," said a Qantas pilot who spoke to Crikey. "It's the third major IT-related debacle in as many years. And it's yet another symptom of a company that has hollowed out its internal capacity and outsourced critical functions all to save money."

The airline's outsourcing of critical functions is a recurring theme among Qantas staff, with many expressing frustration over the lack of transparency and accountability.

"Qantas is taking jobs out of Australia," said a regional pilot. "There are plenty of Australians who would love to work for Qantas, but the jobs are cheaper offshore – it's all about executives' bonuses, not customers."

The crisis management approach at Qantas is also coming under fire, with many criticizing the airline's lack of public accountability and failure to provide clear explanations.

"There's been no public accountability," said a former senior pilot. "Just passive-voice statements and buried FAQs. Customers found out about the data breach via app alerts or media leaks – not from the airline itself."

The message seems to be: we'll let you know if it gets worse. But this approach is unlikely to reignite trust with customers, who have been burned by Qantas' repeated failures.

Outsourcing and Leadership

Qantas' outsourcing of critical functions has been a long-standing issue, with many criticizing the airline's decision to outsource baggage handling and call centers to cheaper labor markets.

"The big question is: why has Qantas outsourced so much of its call centers to the Philippines?" said another pilot. "Isn't it supposed to be the Australian national carrier? Qantas is taking jobs out of Australia – it's all about executives' bonuses, not customers."

CEO Blame and Crisis Management

Qantas' CEO, Vanessa Hudson, has been accused of being out of touch with reality and unwilling to take responsibility for the airline's failures.

"When Qantas sold its soul to cost-cutting, it lost more than headcount," said a former senior pilot. "It lost institutional capability – and when something goes wrong, there's no-one left to step up and fix it."

Rebuilding Trust

To rebuild trust with customers, Qantas needs to take concrete steps towards addressing its outsourcing issues, rebuilding internal teams, and establishing operational control.

"Until Qantas reverses this rot – by rebuilding internal teams, reestablishing operational control, and ending the CEO blame carousel – it risks a continued spiralling into crises," said a Qantas pilot. "After the serial scandals of recent years, can anyone remember when Qantas was worth believing in?"

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