The Australian government has denied Qatar Airways’ request to increase its number of flights to the country. Currently permitted to operate 28 roundtrips weekly into Australia’s four busiest airports, the airline hoped to add another 21 weekly roundtrips. This decision came as an unexpected blow as Qatar Airways had earned significant goodwill in Australia for its consistent services throughout the pandemic and role in evacuating Australian nationals during the fall of Kabul.
Tragic Incident Affects Airline’s Reputation
Australia’s Transport Minister Catherine King confirmed her decision to reject the request in a letter addressed to a group of Australian women. These women had been forcibly removed from a Qatar Airways flight in October 2020 and subjected to invasive internal examinations after an abandoned newborn child was found in the airport terminal. “I was shocked by what happened to you at Hamad International Airport. The treatment you received was disgraceful,” Minister King stated in the letter. She further clarified that the Australian government would not be considering additional bilateral air rights with Qatar.
This incident, despite Qatar Airways’ claim that the examinations were a decision of the Qatari police, severely tainted the airline’s reputation in Australia. Many Australians, especially women and families with daughters, now refuse to fly with the carrier.
Current Flight Operations and Future Plans
Nevertheless, Qatar Airways continues to operate daily A380 flights into Sydney Kingsford Smith and Perth International, as well as daily B777-300ER services to Brisbane International and Melbourne Tullamarine. These operations bring the airline to its weekly limit of 28 flights. Additionally, the airline holds unlimited access rights to other Australian airports, either directly or via another airport. This allows Qatar Airways to run some tag flights to smaller cities from one of the major Australian capitals.
Prior to the pandemic, the airline flew to Sydney twice daily but operated one of those flights via Canberra. Now, it flies to Melbourne twice daily but adds an Adelaide International tag onto one of those services. The airline also operates a second daily flight in Adelaide, which is the first leg of its Doha – Adelaide – Auckland International flight. Qatar Airways had hoped to operate double daily into Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane without the tag flights.
Other Factors in the Decision
While Qatar Airways did receive support from Australian state governments and the tourism industry, the airline faced a significant challenge from Qantas. The Sydney-based airline had rigorously campaigned against Qatar Airways acquiring any additional traffic rights, citing adverse impacts on non-government-funded airlines.
Despite the complications and challenges, the Australian government’s decision stands firm, signifying its commitment to uphold the rights and safety of its citizens. This sends a clear message to airlines and other entities about the value Australia places on respect and dignity for all passengers.
First love never dies. I fell in love with airplanes and aviation when I was a kid. My dream was to become a pilot, but destiny led me to another path: to be an aviation digital media content creator and a small business owner. My passion for aviation inspires me to bring you quality content through my website and social accounts. Aviation is indeed in my blood and blog!
