Golfing legend Greg Norman has delivered a blistering serve to Qantas, accusing the national airline of putting profits ahead of passengers after a frustrating international flight left him seriously unimpressed.

And when the Great White Shark gets his teeth into something, he doesn’t tend to let go.

The 71-year-old former world number one took to Instagram to vent his frustrations after a flight from Sydney to Dallas was delayed by almost three hours, followed by another hour waiting for his luggage to appear.

For a man accustomed to spending his time on some of the world’s finest golf courses, it was clearly a little too much time spent hanging around an airport.

“I have always tried to support my national airline,” Norman wrote.

“Sadly their reputation of the ‘never on-time’ airline (or the ones I am on — this time Syd — Dallas circa 3 hrs late departing), plus an hour to get one bag in Dallas now has me looking elsewhere.”

Norman, who was reportedly in Sydney for the recent NRL grand final, made it clear his patience with the Flying Kangaroo was wearing thin.

And he already has another airline in his sights.

“Maybe Emirates — longer but reliable, Wi-Fi, comfort caring,” he suggested.

But it wasn’t simply the delay that had Norman seeing red. The two-time British Open champion, who spent an extraordinary 331 weeks as the world’s top-ranked golfer, believes Qantas has lost the qualities that once made it one of the world’s premier airlines.

“Too bad, as Qantas was once one of the top three in the world for a great travel experience. Alas no more.”

He went on to question whether the airline was putting profits ahead of customer service, describing the lack of onboard Wi-Fi on his flight as “insane” and “dated”.

There was, however, one group spared from the Shark’s considerable bite.

Norman praised Qantas ground staff, directing his criticism squarely at the airline’s management and urging those in charge to restore its former reputation.

“Qantas admin — get to work and bring back the pride in ‘The Spirit of Australia’ and be a world leader in your industry again,” he declared.

The public spray carries an extra sting given Norman’s longstanding relationship with the airline.

For decades, the golfing superstar was one of Qantas’s most recognisable celebrity ambassadors, appearing in advertisements and promoting the airline through his association with the Qantas Golf Club.

In other words, this isn’t just another disgruntled passenger having a whinge about a delayed flight. It’s a former poster boy publicly questioning what has happened to the brand he once proudly represented.

Qantas has acknowledged the delay, explaining that the aircraft had experienced a technical problem before departure.

“Unfortunately, our flight from Sydney to Dallas Fort Worth on Saturday was delayed departing Sydney while our engineers fixed a fuelling issue,” a spokesperson said.

The airline confirmed the flight ultimately arrived two hours and 35 minutes behind schedule.

As for Norman’s complaints about Wi-Fi, Qantas already offers the service on its Boeing 787 and Airbus A330 aircraft, with a rollout underway across its A380 fleet.

Norman’s comments struck a chord with fellow travellers, several of whom shared their own frustrations with the airline.

One supporter lamented that Qantas was no longer the benchmark for international travel, while another declared that after trying Emirates, there was no going back.

Whether Norman follows through on his threat to switch airlines remains to be seen.

But after decades of proudly flying the Qantas flag, the Great White Shark appears ready to take his business elsewhere.

And judging by the force of his latest swing, Qantas management might be wise to keep its head down.