The Sydney Morning Herald logo Advertisement October 11, 2026 — 5:50pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Gift icon Gift Gift icon 0 / 3 No gift articles left You’ve used all of your gift articles.
Ah, the joys of air travel! There’s nothing quite like the thrill of booking a flight, packing your bags, and then discovering that your airline has a reputation for being, shall we say, less than punctual. Enter Greg Norman, the legendary Aussie golf pro, who recently took a swing at Qantas—Australia’s flagship airline—by calling it outdated and unreliable. And honestly, can you blame him?
In a world where everything seems to be getting faster and more efficient, it’s a bit perplexing that an airline can still be dubbed the ‘Never-on-time airline.’ You’d think by now they’d have figured out how to keep their planes in the air and their passengers happy. But alas, it appears Qantas might need a little pep talk—or maybe a complete overhaul.
Norman, who has seen his fair share of flights as a frequent flyer, expressed his discontent on social media, saying that the airline needs to “bring back the pride in ‘The Spirit of Australia.’” Now that’s a phrase that tugs at the heartstrings! It sounds like something you’d hear in a motivational speech, right before someone tells you to go chase your dreams—or maybe just your luggage.
The golf great’s comments come at a time when travelers are feeling the pinch of delays and cancellations more than ever. It’s almost as if airlines have taken a cue from the weather—always unpredictable and often disappointing. Seriously, how hard can it be to keep a schedule? If my grandma can keep her bingo nights on track, surely a multi-billion-dollar airline can manage to get a few planes in the air on time.
But let’s not just blame Qantas. The airline industry has been through quite a ride (pun intended) in recent years. Between the pandemic shaking things up and staffing shortages becoming the new norm, it’s no wonder that even the best airlines have been struggling to keep their flights on schedule. Still, when you’re a frequent flyer like Norman, you expect a certain level of service—especially when you’re flying with the airline that’s supposed to be the pride of a nation.
So what does this mean for the average traveler? Well, if you’re planning to fly Qantas anytime soon, you might want to pack a little extra patience—along with your snacks. And if you happen to find yourself on a delayed flight, just remember that Greg Norman is right there with you, probably shaking his head and wondering why he didn’t just stick to golf.
In the end, maybe Norman’s comments will spark some much-needed changes at Qantas. Or maybe they’ll just be another reminder that when it comes to air travel, it’s best to keep your expectations low and your snacks handy. After all, the only thing worse than being late for your flight is being late for your next tee time. And we all know how serious golfers can be about that.
Inspired by: “‘Never-on-time airline’: Aussie golf great Greg Norman takes swing at Qantas” (r/Local)