Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time.<\/p>\n
Qantas has urged the federal government not to review an application by Qatar Airways to double its flights to Australia, and defended its refusal to disclose the nature of its communications with the government before the original rejection.<\/p>\n
Qatar Airways has applied to the Department of Infrastructure and Transport for a review of the controversial decision, which would have allowed the gulf carrier to add 28 flights to the country\u2019s four biggest airports. Transport Minister Catherine King denied the original application in July.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Qantas chair Richard Goyder and the airline\u2019s new chief Vanessa Hudson faced a hostile Senate committee last week.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Alex Ellinghausen<\/cite><\/p>\n Qantas lodged a nine-page submission to the Senate on Tuesday, one week after the Senate select committee into bilateral air rights chair Bridget McKenzie admonished the airline for failing to make a submission before its appearance last week.<\/p>\n \u201cIf Virgin and Rex can do it, I do not understand why the largest and most dominant carrier in the country can\u2019t respect this committee by putting pen to paper and addressing the terms of reference,\u201d McKenzie said.<\/p>\n In the submission, Qantas said claims that Qatar would have generated hundreds of millions of dollars in additional tourism revenue\u2013 aired by much of the aviation and tourism industry \u2013 were over baked. It said Qatar Airways carried a \u201cdisproportionately high\u201d number of Australians out of the country.<\/p>\n \u201cOn that basis, suggestions that granting the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority application would have materially advanced the Australian tourism industry\u2019s recovery are overstated,\u201d Qantas said.<\/p>\n The airline also said its international competitors have \u201csignificantly lower cost bases\u201d due to lower labour costs in their home markets, meaning Qantas needs to continue restructuring to \u201cimprove our own competitiveness\u201d.<\/p>\n The submission also said Qantas is often consulted on aviation and tourism policy and spoke to a range of advisors and members of parliament on many of the issues which have recently embroiled the carrier in a series of scandals, including COVID-19 credits.<\/p>\n Qantas defended its refusal to provide details of its communications with members of the government on the Qatar saga, or any other issue.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is our view that a critical hallmark of a robust democracy is the ability of parties to convey their perspective on issues to the government and the opposition without hesitation, and particularly without fear of (lawful and appropriate) confidential disclosures being disclosed inadvertently or deliberately,\u201d the submission said.<\/p>\n McKenzie and other Coalition members, including Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, have repeatedly insinuated that the Qatar decision was a quid pro quo given by the Albanese government in exchange for Qantas\u2019 support for the Voice to parliament ahead of the October 14 referendum.<\/p>\n Qantas has repeatedly rejected this claim, and it did so again in the submission by providing a 10-year timeline of the group\u2019s public promotion of Indigenous recognition. \u201cThis has no basis in fact ignores Qantas\u2019 longstanding commitment to Indigenous reconciliation,\u201d it said.<\/p>\n \u201cSuccessive Australian governments have sought to negotiate agreements that balance Australia\u2019s national interests, expand Australian airlines\u2019 access to the world, allow foreign carriers increased access to Australia, provide opportunities for trade and tourism and deliver connectivity and competition benefits for passengers.\u201d<\/p>\n The Senate committee is expected to deliver a report on the country\u2019s bilateral air rights next week after two weeks of hearings with stakeholders and government departments. Two notable absences from the hearings were former Qantas boss Alan Joyce, who suddenly departed the business at the beginning of September, and the transport minister, King, who was on leave.<\/p>\n It is not customary for upper house members to appear before the lower house. King\u2019s office ruled out claims she may have to give evidence before the Senate on this matter earlier this week.<\/p>\n