Qantas denies Geoff Dixon heart bypass

An article in the Sun Herald says that Qantas boss Geoff Dixon had an undisclosed “procedure” before Christmas which forced him to stay in hospital, the airline confirmed late yesterday.

However, a suggestion in a newspaper report that the airline’s long serving chief executive had a heart bypass operation was denied.

The airline said in a statement that Mr Dixon had a procedure at St Vincent’s hospital, Sydney, on December 17 and that he had remained in hospital for several days.

“The procedure was a private issue for Mr Dixon and was not heart bypass surgery as was reported in (Tuesday’s) media.”

“Mr Dixon had returned to work on December 27 and was at work this week,” the airline said.

Mr Dixon, 68, who earned upwards of $6 million last year, has been chief executive of the airline since 2000.

He is due to retire in mid 2009.

Aviation industry sources have speculated for some time that Mr Dixon might choose to go earlier following the appointment last month of Leigh Clifford a former chief executive of Rio Tinto, as chairman.

The Qantas board recently appointed a headhunting firm to select international candidates and other talent from the Australian business scene as possible replacements.

Three internal candidates, chief financial officer Peter Gregg, executive general manager John Borghetti and Jetstar boss Alan Joyce, are also likely to be shortlisted.

A Report by The Mole from The Sun Herald