Former Qantas boss Alan Joyce breaks his silence in Dublin

The outcome of a Senate vote - to bring Alan Joyce back to Australia to face questions about how the airline was run - has been handed down.

Former Qantas boss Alan Joyce has been given a free pass to avoid facing a Canberra inquiry into how the airline was run.

Labor and the Greens voted against summonsing Mr Joyce back to Australia to appear in front of a Senate committee investigating why Qatar Airways was denied its bid for 28 extra flights each week.

Independent Senator David Pocock voted with the government, ending any chance of getting Mr Joyce back to Canberra.

It comes after Mr Joyce was quizzed about his plans to explain to the inquiry whether he lobbied Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to stop the Qatar services.

The multi-millionaire was spotted near his mother Collette’s house in Dublin just after midday on Tuesday.

Former Qantas boss Alan Joyce seen leaving his mother's house in Dublin, Ireland. Picture: Padraig O'Reilly

Mr Joyce also popped into a local convenience store when this masthead asked him: “The question in Australia everyone wants to know, When are you returning?”.

Mr Joyce replied: “Well, I’m here looking after my mam”.

“Sorry, I’m not giving interviews.

“I’m looking after my mam, that’s why I’m here so please leave me alone …”

“I’m not doing any interviews at the moment.”

Mr Joyce quit Qantas on September 5 after weeks of negative headlines about the company while he was in charge.

The company that advertised itself as the “spirit of Australia” had put an expiry date on $500 million of customers’ Covid-19 flight credits, but belatedly backflipped on the plan.

Qantas was also hit with a $250 million lawsuit for selling “ghost flights” filed by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.

Mr Joyce is under pressure to front a Senate inquiry in Australia. Picture: Padraig O'Reilly

The High Court unanimously found the airline had illegally sacked the workers, delivering Qantas an embarrassing own goal.

Qantas has also been accused of lobbying Mr Albanese to block Qatar Airways’ bid to add an extra 28 flights each week into Australia.

Qatar’s additional services would save passengers as much as $500 on a return flight to Europe.

Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie, who had tabled the motion to bring Mr Joyce back to Australia to face questions, said today was “a dark day for Australian families”.

“The Prime Minister has revealed who he really backs in his country and it‘s not mum and dad’s travelling, it’s not the business traveller ... and on the floor of the Senate today, he was joined by the Greens, and by Senator David Pocock,” she said.

Mr Joyce walked to a local pharmacy to pick up a script for his mother. Picture: Padraig O'Reilly

Prior to the vote Ms McKenzie told Sky News: “All the crumbs of evidence that our inquiry has heard lead to only three people knowing why the protection racket for Qantas is being run“.

“So today is a real test for the Labor Party, on whether they will continue to run a protection racket for him or ensure that the Australian people, through their senators, get a chance to really ask questions of the former CEO of Qantas,“ she said.

The inquiry has already called incoming Qantas chief executive Vanessa Hudson, who apologised for the airline’s performance.

Chairman Richard Goyder also fronted the inquiry before announcing he would step down from his role late next year.

Qantas legal counsel Andrew Finch complained that the “last flight to Sydney is due to leave in half an hour” when he was questioned in the Senate.

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