Independent Non-Executive Director
Richard Goodmanson was appointed to the Qantas Board in June 2008.
Previous to 1999, he was President and Chief Executive Officer of America West Airlines.
America West was one of the first airlines to use extensive "cross-utilization", in which employees were trained in a variety of airline jobs, such as pilots trained in dispatch, and both baggage handlers and flight attendants being trained as gate agents. America West also started as a "full service" airline, in contrast with
Southwest Airlines, the discount air carrier competing in many of the same markets. America West also utilized an aggressive employee stock ownership program, in which new employees were required to invest 20% of their salary in company stock, providing a steady flow of cash as the company grew.
America West operated in bankruptcy from 1991 to 1994. As part of its restructuring, the employee stock became worthless
America West's flight attendants also unionized in 1993, a move which ended the cross-utilization between
customer service agents, flight attendants, and ground agents. Many maintenance and training functions that were previously operated by America West in-house were also outsourced during the bankruptcy.