The way I see it, there is a pretext and a subtext to explore in analyzing the “context” of a recent decision of the Australian government to deny a bid from Qatar Airways to expand service to Australia.
Australia Says It Is Not Protecting Qantas By Denying Qatar Airways The Right To Expand
In October 2020, Qatar sparked international outrage for its invasive search of female passengers, including passengers on an Australia-bound flight, after a baby was found abounded in a trash can in Doha’s Hamad International Airport.
Qatari authorities forced female passengers to strip naked and examined them for signs of recent birth.
> Read More: Was Qatar Justified In Strip Searching Female Passengers After After Baby Found Abandoned In Airport Bathroom?
Almost three years later, Australia is now saying it has denied Qatar Airways’ bid to expand service to Australia on that basis.
The Qatar flag carrier already operates 28 weekly flights via a bilateral agreement from Doha to:
- Brisbane (BNE)
- Melbourne (MEL)
- Perth (PER)
- Sydney (SYD)
Qatar Airways had requested 21 additional weekly flights, but its application has been rebuffed.
While critics pointed to lobbying efforts by Qantas that torpedoed the expansion, Australian Transport Minister Catherine King has told reporters that the treatment of female Australian passengers in Doha was the “context” for the denial.
“I haven’t pointed to that as one factor. What I have said is that it provides a context for the decision that I made.”
That appeared to contradict a statement she had made on ABC earlier in the day saying that the incident was not a factor.
So what was the reason for the denial?
“In making this decision, I did have a national interest, not commercial interests at play when I was making that decision. Certainly, for context, this is the only airline that has something like that that has happened. And so I can’t say that, you know, I wasn’t aware of it but certainly it wasn’t the only factor.”
Whatever that means, she decried allegations that her decision was a protective measure for Qantas, calling it “nonsense” and explaining, “I mean, really, that is an absolute nonsense, and somehow seems to be tied up with people’s anger about Qantas, and I get that, I get why people are angry about Qantas.”
But with an aviation green paper outlining Australian policy toward air travel suggesting a need to ramp up service ahead of demand, it is not unreasonable to ask how her decision can be motivated by anything but efforts to protect the flag carrier Qantas. King suggested that more service by Qatar Airways would not lower airfare…a very shaky assertion that belies basic notions of supply and demand.
CONCLUSION
Australia has denied a bid by Qatar Airways to expand service to Australia, saying the 2020 strip search incident played a role in the decision (after first denying it). The nebulous nature and shaky justification for the denial of more air service suggests, to me at least, that the subtext of this decision is to protect Qantas. That’s a dangerous game for Australian consumers.
image: Qatar Airways
I understand the lobbying from QF to protect their interests, but with QF and QR being in OW, you’d think the would just do a JV so that they share profits regardless of the number of routes each one has.
DL and KE had this tension and limited each other‘s slots in the US and in Korea respectively and it got to the point where they trief the best they could to not credit miles for each other even in J. However, with the JV in 2015 and trying to improve the relations actively because both were big players for ST, they were able to get over their beef and have a really strong partnership today. These two airlines can take a page out of what DL and KE did and stop being petty to be honest
Perhaps long-term we will see Qantas and Emirates break up.
QR already has a tie up with QF’s competitor, Virgin Australia.
Arguably by protecting Qantas they are negatively impacting Virgin Australia.
While I love Australia it can be, to its own detriment, a VERY iconoclastic country. The taxes they impose on non-Australian cars is a good example. Yet they’ve managed to kill their own automotive manufacturing industry at the same time.
The appearance of lying and corruption harms the reputation of Australia. Too bad. A more reasonable explanation would be that passenger demand does not justify that much expansion and then prove it.
Australia has an open skies agreement with the People’s Republic of China (not to be confused with the Republic of China (Taiwan)). That reinforces the hypocrisy of Australia unless Australia thinks that political imprisonment and false arrest is better than pelvic exams on a few passengers as part of a criminal investigation.
Terrible incident but if that is the reason, then ban QR altogether as clearly it could happen again.
Of course the real reason is QF lobbying, but the numpty politicians think people fall for their BS
An impressively lame attempt to hide protectionism.
As an island nation far removed, its people rely on air travel for virtually everything. To limit competition and protect Qantas is a move that will be hugely unpopular with its population. Only popular with Qantas shareholders and cronies, like the PM. The people are forced to pay high fares, the 1% get more wealth and more power.
The wealth disparity today, consolidating so much of it into the a 1% bracket, is creating a global mess of decisions like this that are going to result in angry populations, civil wars, far right and far left populist movements, and complete distrust in Democracy. Read, End Times, a book by Peter Turchin, to get an idea of how this is happening across the world, especially in the U.S. right now, leading to such unrest that there may be no turning back from a civil war. Rather than speculation, Turchin cites many historical examples of nations eventual rise and demise. All traced to one thing…too much power and wealth concentrated into the 1%. Australia is headed down the path as well it seems. As is the UK and many other countries around the world.
Australian’s are becoming quite angry about this decision. Very few like Qantas here, however still fly with them as there aren’t too many other options.
Like someone mentioned earlier, if the government was really concerned about the treatment of these women in Qatar then they would ban all QR flights.
They were quick to point out the strip searching incident.
But they seem to forget too soon how Qatar helped carry thousands of Australians back home at a loss,
Qantas really didn’t care then. Most of their airplane were grounded.
If they state that their reasons is the strip searching incident, that should be cancelled out by Qatar’s Goodwill repatriation flights.
It is a very unpopular decision and as I have commented elsewhere, to the detriment of the tourism industry as a whole given that additional capacity (at a lower price or not) also brings millions in additional tourism dollars into the country. Nothing has been said by the government how they weighed that up against what is a move to protect QF. The current government came in replacing a very unpopular conservative government, but on many issues they are bungling it and are losing the goodwill that got them into office, one unexplained decision (or inaction) by another.
Also, Matthew, Note QR also fly to ADL daily, so 35 weekly flights overall (but Adelaide is outside the bilateral which limits 28 movements to the big 4 cities).
Absolutely Nonsense explanation by Transport minister. If the excuse she has provided is so valid, she should BAN Qatar airways altogether. However, it is not the case. Strip search of passengers are not done on Qatar airways demand but by the security agencies as dumping a fresh born baby is a crime against local rules. Unfortunately, passengers were on board a Qatar flag airline.
What would had happened if Singapore or Qantas airline was involved in this incident? It is reported that Penny Wong has taken up this matter NOW with Qatar’s authorities. 3 YEARS LATERS. WHAT A JOKE!
Australia protecting the rich instead of the interest of the people