Alan Joyce is forced to wait for his baggage at an airport carousel like everyone else - after losing $9million bonus for trashing Qantas' reputation

It seems even the former boss of Australia's biggest airline has to wait for his bags at the airport like everyone else, after Alan Joyce was spotted standing at the baggage carousel.

The ex-Qantas chief was seen chatting to another man as he waited for his luggage at the carousel at Sydney Airport early on Monday morning, having arrived from an overseas trip.

Mr Joyce looked casual in light-coloured trousers, black sneakers, a buttoned up shirt and a black jacket.

Beside him were bleary-eyed passengers in tracksuit pants waiting for their own suitcases.

It comes after Mr Joyce had $9million slashed from his pay package, after a scathing review blamed him for damaging Qantas ' reputation.

In August, Qantas announced it would reduce Mr Joyce's remuneration by $9.26million, mainly through cancelling long-term incentives.

Before he was stripped of those long-term incentives, the former CEO had a total remuneration of $11.919million in 2022-23, including a base salary of $2.145million.

Having led Qantas as chief executive for 15 years before stepping down in September last year, Mr Joyce has faced intense criticism over cancelled flights, lost luggage, and accusations of exploiting customers with exorbitant prices .

The review, published in August by former McKinsey partner Tom Saar and commissioned by Qantas, found the airline's reputational battering was largely due to 'too much deference' to a long-tenured CEO.

'The group had a "command and control" leadership style with centralised decisions and an experienced and dominant CEO,' the review said.

The review concluded that while there were no deliberate findings of wrongdoing, mistakes by the airline's management caused 'significant reputational and customer service issues'.

In June last year, Mr Joyce also sold $17million worth of Qantas shares just days after the airline supplied details of cancelled flights to the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission.

Mr Joyce, an Irish-born Australian from humble beginnings in Dublin, earned around $150million during his tenure at Qantas.

Since Mr Joyce left Qantas in September 2023, he and his husband Shane Lloyd have been splitting their time between their home at Whale Beach, in Sydney's northern beaches, and their penthouse apartment at The Rocks in the CBD.

Mr Joyce earlier told Daily Mail Australia he would be working as a director for the Sydney Theatre Company and doing charity work.

'But I've been told I have to take a year off,' he said.

Mr Joyce and Mr Lloyd are also spearheading a scholarship competition in both their names for LGBTQIA+ Australian playwrights to work in New York.

Mr Joyce was replaced by former chief financial officer Vanessa Hudson.