The Australian transport department says it will schedule a meeting with Qatari officials after receiving multiple requests from the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority (QCAA) to discuss Qatar Airways’ operations in Australia.
According to The Guardian, senate inquiry hearings this week revealed the QCAA had requested talks with the Australian Department of Infrastructure and Transport on 16 August “to better understand the reasons for their decision and to work together with the Department [of Infrastructure and Transport] to build a road map for future enhancements of traffic rights”.
“We sincerely hope that the department will agree to schedule consultations as a matter of urgency and priority,” the QCAA said in a submission.
On Wednesday, Qatar Airways executives told a hearing of the senate select committee on bilateral air service agreements the QCAA was still waiting to schedule a meeting.
But speaking to The Guardian, a Department of Infrastructure and Transport spokesperson said, “consultations are provided for under our current air services arrangements”.
Consequently, “the department has notified Qatar that it is considering the request and will contact the Qatar CAA seeking to arrange a meeting at a mutually convenient time”.
After the federal government rejected QR’s application for an additional 28 weekly flights to Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth, the QCAA claimed that “no other carrier in the [Gulf Cooperation Council] region is subject to such strict conditions and requirements regarding fair competition in Australia”.
Meanwhile, Qatar Airways Senior Vice President of Global Sales, Matt Raos, told a senate hearing in Canberra on Wednesday the carrier was “surprised and shocked by the decision of the Australian government to reject our application for additional flights to Australia”.
“Even more surprising was that the government gave us no reason for rejecting our application,” he added.
But the QCAA and Qatar Airways hope to receive an explanation for the rejection of expanded services during the promised meeting.
MEL and BNE request reviews
Elsewhere, Melbourne and Brisbane airports have joined calls for the government to review its decision to knock back Qatar Airways’ bid for more flights to Australia.
“Higher airfares restricts travel, it restricts trade, it restricts people from visiting family and friends,” Brisbane Airport Corporation (BAC) Executive General Manager Ryan Both told a Brisbane senate inquiry on Tuesday.
“It means we have less Europeans, which is the primary market we are talking about visiting Australia and visiting Queensland.
“Higher airfares are not good for the economy and not good for choice.
“We see it as in the interests of the people of Queensland that we have open skies and, in particular, [that] the decision be reviewed.”
According to the ABC, Melbourne Airport Senior Vice President and Head of Airline Business Development Michael Cullen echoed Both’s remarks.
“From our perspective, we think the economic contribution of international services should be a very relevant factor.”
Earlier this month, Treasurer Jim Chalmers said the government had “no intention” to review the Qatar Airways decision.
In August, Qatar Airways Group reported a 45 per cent uplift in overall revenue for 2022-23 at US$21 billion (AU$32 billion) and a net profit of US$1.21 billion (AU$1.8 billion).
