Spirit of our People
Our people are our business. Every single day, Qantas carries thousands of passengers safely to their destinations. Our workforce is extraordinary diverse, with roles ranging from pilots to cabin crew, professional and technical engineers, aviation information analysts, fuel hedging specialists, meteorologists, and with areas such as baggage and catering that employ Australians right across the country.
We employ over 35,000 people in 260 unique roles, but one thing remains constant across all of our people: our values of care, safety and teamwork. Our goal, put simply, is to always put the customer first.
And the Qantas spirit of giving doesn't stop at our customers. In addition to our strong corporate sponsorship program, our people also contribute countless hours of their time and services to many important causes through the Qantas Workplace Giving program, the hands-on help of Qantas volunteers and with supporting the Australian Defence Force.
Whether it's Pathfinders' raising money for the Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children, our Cabin Crew Team raising money to help children in need around the world, our Community Team who organise the Good Friday Care Flights, our employees represent the Australian spirit at its finest.
Go behind the scenes at Qantas to see our people in everyday action or browse our links to find out more about our community work.
Pathfinders
In 1967, while on a routine flight, Qantas Chief Steward Pat McGann read about a boy dying of leukemia. He passed the hat around the crew to buy toys for the boy, but by the time they got home, the boy had died. As a result, Pat gave the toys to the children at the Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children (RIDBC). Pat was so impressed with the work of RIDBC that he formed a committee to raise money for the children there, which he named Pathfinders - after the famed World War II squadron which dropped flares to light the way.
Today, Pathfinders consists of cabin crew, technical crew, ground staff and former Qantas staff members, who raise money through activities that are a combination of fun and fundraising, including the Revue, Trivia Nights and the Annual Charity Flight.
Over the years, Pathfinders has raised over $5 million and has become one of the most successful fundraising groups in Australia.
Further information can be found at www.qantas-pathfinders.com.au
The Qantas Cabin Crew Team
The Qantas Cabin Crew Team helps those less fortunate by providing support and practical assistance to disadvantaged people around the world.
The Cabin Crew Team was founded in 1979 by Qantas flight attendant Laurie Curley, who realised he could use his days off overseas to assist the locals in need. After discussing the idea of a team project with other cabin crew, Laurie organized the group to paint a Red Cross orphanage during a layover in Bangkok.
Since that time, the Cabin Crew Team has helped out in a soup kitchen in London, together with various children's homes in Bangkok and Harare. The team now conducts two trips to Bangkok and two trips to Africa every year.
Within Australia, the Cabin Crew Team has supported a number of organizations working with the homeless as well as facilitating a Careers and Customer Service Workshop for disadvantaged students at Cleveland Street High School, Sydney. It also hosts regular dinner evenings for visitors to the Positive Living Centre in Surry Hills, Sydney.
Today, the Cabin Crew Team has approximately 200 members, drawn from cabin crew, technical crew, ground staff, family and friends.
The Community Service Team
The Community Service Team started at the TAA Flight Attendant Training Centre in Melbourne in 1984. It was set up to raise funds for two charities, the Royal Childrens Hospital in Victoria and the RSPCA Animal Rescue Centre, through various fundraising activities.
Among the team's main events are the annual dinner and auction supporting the Qantas Kennels at the Animal Rescue Centre which have helped to save over 5,000 dogs.
The Good Friday Care Flights have helped the Team raise over A$1.3 million dollars for the Royal Children's Hospital.
Defence Reserves Support
Qantas and the Australian Defence Force have a strong relationship built on a rich shared history and we are proud to support the Navy, Army and Air Force Reserves. We believe Reservists are a vital component of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and, as such, should be fully supported in their employment. Whether it is through our scheduled passenger services, charter flights or aircraft maintenance, we are committed to supporting the ADF wherever we can. Qantas recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Defence which recognises that many of our employees also contribute to national defence through the Defence Reserves, and the MOU makes it simpler for them to do so. In fact, by signing the MOU, we became the first private sector organisation to sign such an agreement with the ADF. The MOU will strengthen the management and communication between the two organisations in relation to their shared workforce. We encourage participation and support from all employers across Australia.
Workplace Giving Program
The Qantas Workplace Giving program provides staff with the opportunity to make regular donations to charities through payroll deductions. The program is a tax effective way for staff to support their favourite charity.
Qantas cover the administration costs of the program which ensures the nominated charities receive the donation in full.
