Qantas chief Alan Joyce denies the government is in its thrall after Qatar flights thwarted

Qantas chief Alan Joyce has shot down claims the government is doing the airline’s bidding after rival carrier Qatar Airways was denied more flights into Australia.

Qantas CEO Alan Joyce has denied the federal government is doing the airline’s bidding after Canberra blocked rival Qatar Airways from operating more flights into Australia in a decision that has raised concerns over competition.

Australia’s biggest airline was understood to be one of very few entities to oppose Qatar Airways’ application for more bilateral rights. Austrade and Tourism Australia both made submissions in favour.

Transport Minister Catherine King has yet to explain why the decision was made to knock back Qatar’s application, which was met with dismay by many tourism leaders.

The outgoing airline boss hit back at claims Qantas was dictating government policy and played down its influence.

“If the government was doing the bidding of Qantas then it would’ve knocked on the head multi-employer bargaining which is a much bigger issue (than traffic rights),” Mr Joyce said.

“The PM had a go at me when we grounded the airline in 2011. To think that Qantas has this out-weighted influence on them is nonsense.”

Mr Joyce said he was “good mates with Albo” and had been for some time but that did not mean he got “political favours” in return.

“We have a mature relationship,” said Mr Joyce. “We agree to disagree with them on some things and we agree to agree on other things, and it’s a nonsense that Qantas has this unbelievable influence that it can dictate anything to the government because that’s just not right.”

Qantas chief Alan Joyce and with his Virgin Australia counterpart, Jayne Hrdlicka. Picture: Dylan Coker

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Mr Joyce, who retires in 90 days, was in Brisbane to take part in a Tourism and Events Queensland aviation panel with Virgin Australia chief executive Jayne Hrdlicka.

Despite their corporate rivalry, the pair maintain a friendship years after Ms Hrdlicka worked for Mr Joyce at Qantas.

In her opening remarks to the panel, Ms Hrdlicka stressed that more international capacity was needed into Australia, in what seemed like a thinly veiled dig over the Qatar Airways rejection.

Virgin Australia partnered with Qatar last year in an arrangement that benefits Velocity frequent flyer members, and hoped more flights would be granted.

Beyond that, the pair agreed over most issues facing the aviation industry, blaming inflation and high fuel prices for high airfares.

Mr Joyce was again asked about his plans post-retirement from Qantas, and he revealed he was taking six months off and would then consider his options.

“I’ve got people asking me to do lots of things at the moment – a lot of exciting things – but the advice I’m getting is to take a break,” he said.

“I won’t comment on what the opportunities are and I’ll wait six months to clear my head and ensure I have a good focus on what to do next.”

The cosy relationship between Mr Joyce and the Prime Minister was further highlighted by a media report that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s 23-year-old son was a guest of the exclusive Qantas Chairman’s lounge.

In Brisbane on Thursday, Mr Joyce would not comment on Nathan Albanese’s apparent lounge membership, saying it was a matter of privacy.

On the topic of politicians’ membership of the Chairman’s Lounge, Mr Joyce said it was a “commercial arrangement” in recognition of the fact members of parliament were among Qantas’s biggest customers.

“We facilitate access to our lounges if you’re in BHP, if you’re in Rio (Tinto). The government has a big contract with us, it’s no different,” he said

Originally published as Qantas chief Alan Joyce denies the government is in its thrall after Qatar flights thwarted