• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

The U.S. campaigned to host the World Cup. Now soccer fans will trade their countries' train system for the U.S.'s 'D' rated infrastructure

2

The pig in the python: Baby Boomers are strangling the economy they built by refusing to move or retire

3

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year

1

The U.S. campaigned to host the World Cup. Now soccer fans will trade their countries' train system for the U.S.'s 'D' rated infrastructure

2

The pig in the python: Baby Boomers are strangling the economy they built by refusing to move or retire

3

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year
Finance

Australian airline asks senior executives to volunteer as baggage handlers to fight labor shortage

By
Tristan Bove
Tristan Bove
Contributing Reporter
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Tristan Bove
Tristan Bove
Contributing Reporter
Down Arrow Button Icon
August 8, 2022, 6:53 AM ET
Baggage handler carrying a tray full of luggage in San Francisco's airport
Airlines are figuring out how to handle a crippling baggage handler shortage.David Paul Morris—Bloomberg/Getty Images

Labor shortage woes have gotten to the point that even senior managers are pitching in to help things on the ground run smoothly.

Arguably one of the sectors hardest hit by lack of staff in 2022 has been the airline industry, which is dealing with unavailable employees and travel chaos right as demand for air travel has started to pick up again after two years of dormancy.

Travelers have had to contend with endless delays and scores of lost luggage, forcing some airlines to get creative with their apologies (see Delta Air Lines offering free pizza to passengers on late flights—or $10,000 to get off an oversold one).

Now some airlines are getting just as creative in figuring out how to soften the labor shortage issues at the heart of all the chaos.

Executive help

Qantas Airways, Australia’s largest domestic and international airline, is accepting volunteers from senior staff and management to help with baggage handling delays on the ground, and is seeking at least 100 executive volunteers over the next three months to help address the issue.

In an internal memo circulated to staff and shared on Monday, Qantas inquired about any “expressions of interest” from management and executive staff to help with ground handling operations. Roles include loading and unloading aircraft, sorting and scanning bags, and driving the tug vehicles used to ferry luggage around the airfield. 

Qantas will provide full training to all volunteers in the program, who will be asked to help at either the Sydney or Melbourne airports. The note emphasized that there is “no expectation” that volunteers will take on extra duties on top of their normal roles, and that those who sign up will be able to rework their schedules and commitments with managers for the duration of their commitment.

Last month, a baggage handler hired by Qantas told the Guardian that as many as one in 10 bags were not making it through Sydney’s domestic terminal, citing an unmanageable workload with low staff numbers and rising demand for travel.

Air travel chaos

In the note seeking “expressions of interest,” Qantas cited workers sick from COVID or the flu in addition to the labor shortage as reasons behind the delays and lost luggage.

In a statement shared with Fortune, a Qantas spokesperson admitted that “operational performance has not been meeting our customers’ expectations or the standards that we expect of ourselves,” and that the company is “pulling out all stops to improve our performance.”

The spokesperson added that around 200 executive and management staff have already volunteered to work on the ground and expedite operations during busy air travel periods since April of this year.

Qantas is far from the only airline to run into staffing issues this summer. Last month, European budget airline Ryanair placed the blame on airports for failing to hire enough staff to cope with the return of air travel, which has come back so forcefully that airports have asked airlines to cut back on summer flights.

Airlines’ labor shortage is not only limited to ground staff and baggage handlers either. Airlines have also had to contend with a significant decline in eligible pilots returning to work after the pandemic, while demand for airplane mechanics and repair staff is also showing signs of outstripping supply.

Last month, Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker told Reuters that the crisis was due to an “epidemic” of people working remotely during the pandemic. 

“This all happened because people learned to get easy money from working out of their homes, and fewer people now want to come and do the jobs that they were doing,” he said.

For those airport staff who are returning to work, it is quickly becoming unbearable. A recent survey in the U.K. found that nearly half the country’s airport staff were considering leaving their job because of insufficient pay relative to the stresses of the job this year.

Sign up for the Fortune Features email list so you don’t miss our biggest features, exclusive interviews, and investigations.
About the Author
By Tristan BoveContributing Reporter
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Finance

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Finance

Dozens of people sit on a stairs and hold a large banner reading 'Freedom to unionize now'
EconomyUber Technologies
Uber drivers in Massachusetts just pulled off the biggest labor win since 1941 — just before the robots arrive
By Leah Willingham and The Associated PressMay 26, 2026
31 minutes ago
Largest study of AI hiring algorithms to date finds ‘clear racial disparities’ — over 25% of Black applicants tainted by bias
AIHiring
Largest study of AI hiring algorithms to date finds ‘clear racial disparities’ — over 25% of Black applicants tainted by bias
By Nick LichtenbergMay 26, 2026
2 hours ago
America’s housing market decline is ‘no longer just a Sun Belt story’—LA and Dallas are tumbling, too
Real EstateHousing
America’s housing market decline is ‘no longer just a Sun Belt story’—LA and Dallas are tumbling, too
By Nick LichtenbergMay 26, 2026
3 hours ago
n
InvestingMarkets
Goldman Sachs just ran some ugly numbers on the SaaSPocalypse—and found hedge funds are dumping software and piling into semis
By Nick LichtenbergMay 26, 2026
3 hours ago
Rear view of a depressed non binary person looking out of their bedroom window on a sunny day - negative emotion
EconomySmall Business
America is becoming less neighborly, and it’s hurting Gen Z and millennials’ chances at economic mobility
By Tristan BoveMay 26, 2026
4 hours ago
Coinbase pushes further into AI payments with new MCP for Base network
CryptoCoinbase
Coinbase pushes further into AI payments with new MCP for Base network
By Jeff John RobertsMay 26, 2026
4 hours ago

Most Popular

The U.S. campaigned to host the World Cup. Now soccer fans will trade their countries' train system for the U.S.'s 'D' rated infrastructure
Travel & Leisure
The U.S. campaigned to host the World Cup. Now soccer fans will trade their countries' train system for the U.S.'s 'D' rated infrastructure
By Catherina GioinoMay 25, 2026
1 day ago
The pig in the python: Baby Boomers are strangling the economy they built by refusing to move or retire
Economy
The pig in the python: Baby Boomers are strangling the economy they built by refusing to move or retire
By Nick LichtenbergMay 25, 2026
2 days ago
Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year
Success
Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year
By Preston ForeMay 21, 2026
5 days ago
A billionaire and an A-list actor found refuge in a 37-home Florida neighborhood with armed guards—proof that privacy is now the ultimate luxury
Real Estate
A billionaire and an A-list actor found refuge in a 37-home Florida neighborhood with armed guards—proof that privacy is now the ultimate luxury
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezMay 25, 2026
1 day ago
The Supreme Court handed Trump a Golden Chariot on tariffs — now he just has to take it
Commentary
The Supreme Court handed Trump a Golden Chariot on tariffs — now he just has to take it
By Jeffrey Sonnenfeld and Steven TianMay 26, 2026
10 hours ago
Elon Musk's best friend could make more than $100 billion from SpaceX's IPO. His firm is also owed billions by SpaceX
Investing
Elon Musk's best friend could make more than $100 billion from SpaceX's IPO. His firm is also owed billions by SpaceX
By Eva RoytburgMay 25, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.