Qatar Airways denied extra capacity into Australia in ‘bad outcome’ for tourism

Qatar Airways has been refused an application for more capacity into Australia after opposition from Qantas and five women suing the airline.

Qatar Airways and Virgin Australia partnered up last year, providing benefits to passengers of both carriers.

Qatar Airways has been denied extra capacity into Australia in what airports have branded a “bad outcome” for tourism and travellers.

The Middle Eastern airline was seeking to operate an extra 21 flights a week, amounting to one additional flight a day into Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne.

The application made last year attracted opposition from Qantas, and more recently a group of women subjected to invasive physical searches at Hamad International Airport, wrote to Transport Minister Catherine King urging her not to grant Qatar more capacity.

The five women were among dozens hauled off flights at Doha on October 2 2020, and forced to undergo internal examinations after a newborn baby was found abandoned in a bin.

They are now involved in a lawsuit against Qatar Airways before the Federal Court.

In her response to the women, dated July 10, 2023, Ms King said the government was “not considering additional bilateral air rights with Qatar”.

“As most Australians were, I was shocked by what happened to you at Hamad International Airport. The treatment you received was disgraceful,” wrote Ms King.

“Your experience remains in my thoughts as well as those of my colleagues. The Australian government is not considering additional bilateral air rights with Qatar.”

Asked if the Minister planned to ban Qatar Airways altogether, her office declined to comment.

As part of the application process for bilateral air rights, the federal government sought Qantas’ input last year.

Both airlines are part of the OneWorld alliance but Qantas opposed the bid for more capacity on the basis it was unfair to non-government-funded airlines, and would result in the loss of Australian jobs.

Qatar Airways chief executive Akbar Al Baker and Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce in 2018. The pair have butted heads over Qatar’s application for increased bilateral air rights. Picture: Peter Parks/AFP

Australian Airports Association chief executive James Goodwin said the government’s decision was a “bad outcome for tourism and sent a bad signal to international carriers wanting to fly in and out of Australia”.

“International travel is still well below pre-pandemic levels so I would be urging the Australian Government to be doing everything it can to attract and retain more airlines and build their confidence that Australia is a reliable place to do business,” Mr Goodwin said.

“More seats means more competition and that is what we need to improve connectivity and to help bring down airfares.”

Qatar Airways was recently voted by travellers as the world’s second best airline after Singapore Airlines at the annual Skytrax awards, and won best business class for its QSuites product.

The airline partnered with Virgin Australia last year, in an arrangement that benefited members of the Velocity frequent flyer program.

International airline activity data for January, compiled by the Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics showed Qatar had 4.6 per cent of the market travelling in and out of Australia, compared to Qantas’ 17 per cent, and Emirates’ 6 per cent.

Marque Lawyers’ Damian Sturzaker who was representing the women in their Federal Court case said it was “pleasing that the government appeared to be looking carefully at what are the appropriate qualities necessary to be a significant carrier of passengers here in Australia”.

“Our brave clients were treated very poorly by Qatar Airways and their attempts to resolve their complaints against Qatar Airways have been blocked at every turn,” Mr Sturzaker said.

Qatar Airways was defending the lawsuit on the basis the searches were conducted as part of a criminal investigation by authorities, that was out of their control.

The decision to deny Qatar Airways further bilateral air rights would not stop the airline operating additional flights into major airports via “secondary” ports such as Canberra and Adelaide.

A response has been sought from Qatar Airways.

Originally published as Qatar Airways denied extra capacity into Australia in ‘bad outcome’ for tourism