Australia's flagship carrier is seeking to draft in its executives to temporarily become baggage handlers as it seeks to plug an acute labour shortage.
Airlines around the globe are struggling to recruit staff as travel ramps up again in the wake of the Covid pandemic. But Australian airline Qantas has taken a particularly novel approach to a shortage of ground crew, media reported.
The carrier's head of operations Colin Hughes is looking for more than 100 volunteers from among the ranks of its senior executives to work as ground crew, including as baggage handlers, for three months, according to a company memo seen by the BBC.
Tasks would include loading and unloading bags from aircraft as well as driving luggage vehicles around airports and there is "no expectation that you will opt into this role on top of your full-time position," it quoted Hughes as saying.
Like many European airlines, Qantas is struggling with the surge in demand for travel after laying off thousands of workers during the pandemic and frustrated passengers have taken to social media with their complaints about flight delays and missing luggage.
Last month a Qantas executive apologised again for the airline's failings, saying its service was not up to pre-pandemic standards.
