Qatar Airways chief says flights block ‘unfair’, as Senate inquiry grills Qantas
Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker has branded the refusal of more Australian flights as ‘very unfair’ ahead of a Senate inquiry grilling Qantas executives, airport bosses and Qatari officials.
Qatar Airways chief executive Akbar Al Baker says the Albanese government’s refusal to approve more flights for the airline was “very unfair” ahead of a Senate inquiry this week probing Qantas executives, airport bosses and Qatari officials about the decision.
The global Qatar Airways boss – speaking after the US rubber-stamped additional flights for the carrier – expressed disappointment at the government’s decision because the airline had supported “the people of Australia” during the pandemic.
Mr Al Baker’s intervention came ahead of a Senate committee, chaired by opposition transport spokeswoman Bridget McKenzie, holding public hearings this week into the Qatar Airways decision and commonwealth bilateral air service agreements.
The Senate inquiry, which is planning hearings in Perth, Brisbane, Sydney and Canberra, has called Qantas chair Richard Goyder, chief executive Vanessa Hudson, former boss Alan Joyce, Qatar Airways executives, airport operators, airline bosses and former Productivity Commission chair Peter Harris.
The Australia-Qatar Business Council, Qatari ambassador to Australia Saad Abdulla al-Shareef and Mr Al Baker have been invited to appear. Mr Al Baker at the weekend said he remained “hopeful for the government to listen to our case very carefully and then make a decision”.
“We can never influence a government decision. But the fact remains … we were very surprised for getting this rights blocked or unapproved,” he told CNN.
“We found it to be very unfair. Our legitimate request to be not granted especially at a time when we were so supportive of Australia repatriating the stranded citizens from around the world to and out of Australia
“Helping them receiving medical supplies and spare parts during the Covid period when the national carrier and their partners completely stopped operating in Australia. We were there for the people of Australia.”
The Australian can reveal Mr Goyder faces a fresh battle to keep his job after a leading industry group called for his dismissal over a board decision to engage Boston Consulting Group to reset the airline’s relationship with customers.
The Australian Licensed Aircraft Engineers Association on September 13 sent a letter to Mr Goyder stating the decision by the board to engage the consultant showed it neither heard nor understood the mistakes that had left Qantas’s reputation in tatters.
Senator McKenzie, who confirmed Mr Joyce was overseas and discussions were under way about his attendance, said recent “revelations highlight serious concerns within the aviation industry”.
“From egregious corporate behaviour, gaming of regulatory settings to redirect competition, to a culture of indifference to loyal customers, the inquiry will be traversing these matters in addition to the Qatar Airways decision,” she said.
“All Australians want a profitable airline industry but given recent negative revelations of Qantas corporate culture, the chair and CEO will be expected to front up to explain. The fact is the Albanese government has made deliberate decisions to reduce competition and make air travel less affordable for Australians.”
While Coalition senators will question Qantas chiefs about a “perceived quid pro quo” in relation to the airline’s support for the voice referendum, NSW Labor senator and former Transport Workers Union boss Tony Sheldon is expected to grill airline executives about corporate culture and workplace practices.
Senator McKenzie said “we’ve had an overwhelming number of submissions already … looking at competition issues, looking at Covid flight credit repayments, and indeed critiquing the issues around Mr Joyce’s final remuneration package”.
NDIS Minister Bill Shorten said in making her Qatar Airways decision, Transport Minister Catherine King had had to “weigh up everyone’s interests, not just a particular commercial operation sponsored by another government”.
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