Qantas blocks 28 extra weekly flights on Qatar Airways?
 

Virgin Australia suggests that international airfares could have been reduced by a whopping 40 percent if Qatar was allowed to bring in an additional 28 flights a week, but their plan was allegedly blocked by lobbying by Qantas:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUCYTaS0vk8

Well why can't Virgin start operating international services?

I don't think that QANTAS "blocked" the Qatar flights. No doubt they lobbied against them but wasn't the decision made by the Federal Government ?

Money. The revived business model was fully focussed on domestic 737 ops, with a foray back into the trans-Tasman and South Pacific once steady.

Long-haul international is an unecessary complication.

Like you I understand it was the Federal Government who blocked the Qatar expansion . If Qantas operated to the Middle East and was a not a private company I may be able to see the logic , however , they are neither . It’s an anti competitive stance from the Government . This whole episode stinks .

Dave C

An unnecessary complication that can't just be cobbled together on a whim. They would need to source aircraft, traffic rights, slots, etc. Negotiate with airlines and service providers. Train crew. And importantly they would have a process to go through with CASA.

Well, of course. But there is just no good business case, based on the example of the airline which entered administration

According to a report in today's "Australian" :

".....The decision to deny Qatar Airways more flights into Australia was not taken by cabinet and key ministers were not consulted on the decision, with ANZ boss Shayne Elliott saying he was *“disturbed” by the government’s protection of Qantas profits.

The Australian has been told that senior members of the government were not informed of the decision taken by Transport Minister Catherine King, with *Anthony Albanese saying on Tues*day he was not responsible for knocking back the Qatari bid.

“Well, it’s not up to me. It’s up to the Transport Minister, who’s made the decision,” the Prime Minister said......"

Joyce an Albo are close apparently. There's numerous articles out there that are clearly reporting that this is simply a move to protect Qantas's own interests at the expense of not only Virgin but the travelling public as airfares would very definitely fall if more competition was allowed....hurting Qantas's bottom line.

Well , they won’t be “ close “ any longer , as Joyce threw in the towel this morning and called it a day at QF before his scheduled departure in November .

Dave C