Crunch question is whether Qantas is too big a national icon to fail?
Is Qantas to be given primacy in Austtralian aviation or is it really just another privatised airline in a deregulated market? If so, where does that leave Virgin, or any other entrants when having a viable second force is so critical.
Next year, 2024 will be pivotal for the future of Australian aviation.
Throughout our domestic airline history, way back to the Two Airline Policy, ensuring a second airline force was considered vital. We need Virgin Australia to succeed. A healthy second airline is essential if the industry is to aspire to be “fit for purpose”, as ACCC chairwoman Gina Cass-Gottlieb puts it.
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correction —
The ownership structure of Virgin Australia has been updated in this article.
Peter Harbison is a aviation analyst. He founded CAPA – Centre for Aviation and is author of “Alan Joyce and Qantas. The trials and transformation of an Australian icon.“
