Qantas pays A$100m fine to settle ghost flight claims

Qantas Airways will pay a A$100m ($66m) penalty and compensate passengers for selling tickets on thousands of flights it had already decided to cancel, as CEO Vanessa Hudson continues costly repairs to the airline’s battered reputation. Under an agreement with Australia’s competition watchdog, Qantas will also pay between A$225 to A$450 to more than 86,000 impacted customers as part of a A$20m remediation program, the airline said Monday. The deal settles a fiery legal dispute between Qantas and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission that last year triggered the early retirement of then-CEO Alan Joyce and led to a boardroom cleanout to repair the company’s brand. Joyce’s replacement, Vanessa Hudson, is now footing the bill as Qantas attempts to restore its status as a marquee carrier. She kicked off her tenure last year by ploughing extra money into major customer bugbears like on-board catering and call-center staffing. Last month, she overhauled the frequent flyer business to make it easier for customers to redeem points for flights. “Today represents another important step forward,” Hudson said Monday. Joyce’s reign was known for its focus on shareholders, profits and bumper dividends. Hudson’s first few months have put a bigger emphasis on customers.<br/>