Qantas is ending a 30-year sponsorship with Rugby Australia as the airline continues to tighten its purse-strings in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Just days after announcing massive salary cuts for its executives, Qantas said it had reviewed five key sporting sponsorships as it continues to manage the fallout from the coronavirus on the aviation industry.
"Regrettably, Qantas is not in a position to continue its 30-year relationship with Rugby Australia beyond the end of this calendar year," the airline said on Wednesday.
However, Qantas will continue its association with Cricket Australia and the Football Federation of Australia on an "in-kind basis" for the next 12 months, before a further review takes place.
The national carrier will also continue its association with the Australian Olympic Committee and Paralympics Australia, with a view to supporting athletes at the rescheduled Tokyo Games in 2021.
"In an environment where thousands of our people have lost jobs and thousands more are stood down while they wait for flying to restart, we can't maintain these sponsorships in the way we have in the past," Qantas chief customer officer Stephanie Tully said.
"While we're dealing with this crisis and its aftermath, the cash cost of our sponsorships has to be zero."
The changes are expected to save the financially strapped airline $20 million a year.
She said the airline's partners had been incredibly understanding of the situation, particularly as most are facing their own COVID challenges.
"Qantas has had a very long association with Rugby Australia and the Wallabies, and we've stuck with each other during difficult times," she said.
"Unfortunately, this pandemic has been the undoing. Like all Australians, we'll continue to cheer them on from the sidelines."
The airline is also ending several arts and community sponsorships but has agreed to maintain a connection with a number of them, including the National Gallery of Australia and Museum of Contemporary Art.
Qantas remains committed to its work with Indigenous and regional communities, including through its five-year regional grants program.
The national carrier will also continue to work closely with Tourism Australia and state-based tourism bodies.
Australian Associated Press
