From Cabin Crew to Cabin Product: Jack’s Journey Through Aviation

What first brought you to Qantas, and how did your career journey unfold?

I’ve always wanted to work for Qantas. As a child, I flew between Australia and the UK as an unaccompanied minor, and I was completely captivated by the experience. That fascination never left me.

At 18, I spent my gap year as a flight attendant in the UK and knew I’d found my industry. While studying International Business at university, I flew casually for Tigerair, juggling long days at uni with even longer nights in the air. After graduating, I was eager to explore the business side of aviation and took on secondments at Tiger HQ in workforce planning, cabin safety, and even hotel procurement (yes, I got paid to test accommodation).

When Virgin acquired Tiger, I transitioned into Customer Strategy at Virgin Australia HQ in Brisbane. Then COVID hit, and I briefly stepped into Financial Services and Government, but aviation pulled me back.

Eventually, I landed my dream role at Qantas as a Project Manager in Inflight Product, overseeing cabin interior projects. Since then, I’ve worked in Lounge Strategy, managing a $400 million investment portfolio of award-winning lounges, and most recently as Senior Product Manager in the Baggage space.

What do you enjoy most about working at Qantas?

It might sound corny, but at Qantas you genuinely feel part of something bigger. It’s a brand with over 100 years of legacy, a national icon, and one that’s deeply personal to me. It connected me to my family growing up.

How does your work make a difference to our customers?

In the baggage space, my focus is on creating seamless, connected experiences. It’s about giving customers choice and reliability, ensuring that every touchpoint feels effortless.

What’s one project or achievement you’re particularly proud of?

Seeing Project Sunrise (direct flights from Sydney to Europe and New York) come to life will be a huge moment. It’s the result of years of dedication from an incredibly talented team, and I’ll be so proud to see their hard work transform into a revolutionary product that customers will love.

How has Qantas supported your growth and development?

Qantas is a place where you can go anywhere. The breadth of the business is extraordinary, and the leaders here bring unmatched experience and perspective. What’s made the biggest impact on my growth is the mentoring culture. People are generous with their time, expertise, and advice. It’s a company that genuinely lifts those around them.

If you had to describe working at Qantas in three words, what would they be?

Dynamic. Inspiring. High-performance.

What advice would you give someone wanting to break into your type of role?

Persevere. Say yes to opportunities. Apply for that job, go for coffee with that person, and keep an open mind. Some of my most life-changing professional experiences came from roles I least expected.

Jack Bale, Senior Product Manager, Cabin & Ancillary Baggage