Mandy Johnson

Employers dont realise that recruiting people and not engaging them is like pouring liquid gold into a bathtub .....without the plug.

𝗗𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸-𝘄𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵𝘆 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 - 𝘄𝗶𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝗮𝗿-𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀 - 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗙𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝗴𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻? 𝗦𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝗺𝘆 𝘄𝗮𝘆: 𝗲𝗻𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀@𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘆𝗷𝗼𝗵𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗻.𝗰𝗼

Let me know your favourite in the comment section - unless you think you can top it! Finishing up the manuscript this month, so looking for that killer title!

Flight Centre’s first prototype was a $10,000 one-off, hand-cast by a surfboard expert. “We wanted quality feedback,” said the branding head They got it — by the bucketload. Send me your fave captain story - enquiries@mandyjohnson.co

At a 2002 Whistler conference, FC’s execs whiteboarded every “brutal fact” they’d been avoiding & began planning. The MD said: “𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 - 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴.”

Which one do you like most?

52-year-old Top Deck Travel has officially reinvented itself — from Oct 2025 it will ditch the big buses in favour of mini-coaches & train travel (ideally not quite as mini as the originalTop Deck company car pictured, which technically counted as a vehicle if you squinted).

Just four weeks after Australia’s borders reopened, Flight Centre finally hit positive operating cash flow for the first time in two years. Naturally, they threw a party - Flichella - a loud, colourful “we made it through” explosion after the pandemic rollercoaster.

In his spare time, FC CEO Skroo Turner decided to launch - Across Australia Coachlines - a “no-frills” bus service … but to save cash, skipped the luxuries - like air-conditioning and toilets. Slightly bonkers - an example from a great era, when people just made things happen!

It sounds like the plot of a B-grade crime flick, but in 2002, FC CEO Skroo actually received a ransom note — cut-out letters and all — demanding the return of Flight Centre’s first fibreglass captain prototype. If you’ve got a story to add to his travel log, email me...

Asked about Flight Centre's ambitious plan to launch its own airline after Ansett collapsed in 2001 (turns out “Flight Centre Airlines” wasn’t meant to be), this was MD Skroo Turner’s reply demonstrating that while some ideas soar, others nose-dive.

I recently spoke with Ronan McNeary, store leader at Sydney Airport Flight Centre, about those chaotic first days of Covid. As Ronan recalled: “We had a line of people stretching out of the shop and down the concourse as people were desperate to get on any flight out."

I've been gathering stories from the wild early days of Flight Centre. As one put it, “Up to the mid-eighties we didn’t mean to break all the rules all the time — but honestly, it was the only way to get anything done.” Compliance back then was more of a 'vibe' than a policy.

A big thanks to everyone who has shared ideas so far. Also on the lookout for some catchy one-word title ideas if anyone is feeling a spark of genius...

This week I interviewed Angela Wilson from Flight Centre’s COVID refunds team. In the first week after the borders closed, they received a staggering 60,000 refund requests. For such a small team, it was overwhelming—made even harder by cruise companies only issuing cheques!

Does anyone else feel like the world has conspired to distract you the second you have a deadline? Only a few weeks left until the first draft of my new Flight Centre book manuscript is due. I’m considering moving into a cave (with Wi-Fi) and lots of snacks...

Here's your bus, you're off to Kathmandu! Working alone for 2 years seems incredible now, but this was the norm for drivers and tour leaders working for the early Flight Centre business - the Top Deck Travel tour company. I can't even imagine this level of autonomy in 2025.

Working on the COVID chapters of the new Flight Centre book, and the scars of the shutdown are still raw. One manager welcomed his entire team to celebrate his wedding—only to have to stand them all down a month later. If you have a story of your own, I’d love to hear it........

Calling all Flight Centre people - I’m writing a new book to replace Family, Village, Tribe (pub date: early 2026) and I’d love your input. From titles & cover artwork to photos and stories, this is your chance to help shape it. 👉 Head to lnkd.in/gbFMjEXs for details.

So true!