Australia's ban on foreign carriers to stay

[pauly7]

Virgin and Qantas will be celebrating tonight!


SINGAPORE Airlines will remain shut out of the trans-Pacific route when the federal Government launches its long-awaited aviation green paper tomorrow.
The draft blueprint for the nation's aviation industry reiterates the Government's stand that it has no immediate plans to grant additional third country access to the route, so that Virgin Blue offshoot V Australia can establish its operations.

Full article: Australia's ban on foreign carriers to stay | The Australian

 

[laffer]

The Qantas lobby wins again under the guise of protecting Virgin. Silly decision. Australian business (not including QF and Virgin) and consumers punished as a result.

 

[winetraveller]

I agree 100%, all this means to me is that I STILL won't give Qantas any money, and will fly via Singapore, Bangkok (ha ha!), or go with the newly improved UA.

Free market my cough!

 

[pauly7]

The Qantas lobby wins again under the guise of protecting Virgin. Silly decision. Australian business (not including QF and Virgin) and consumers punished as a result.

Bigger picture thinking may bear out it is a wise decision for the interim with the economic climate as it is...

Virgin lobbied their lungs out as well, not just QF.

 

[simongr]

Bigger picture thinking may bear out it is a wise decision for the interim with the economic climate as it is...
.

So when some countries are lobbying in this climate to maintain free trade it is good that Australia, a fly speck of a country, reinforces protectionism?

The only jobs they are protecting in the short term are QF and V Australia - the jobs that they are risking are ancillary services and the broader business community who are forced to pay higher airfares.

I am guessing the bigger picture is just as far as Australia's borders then...

 

[oz_mark]

SINGAPORE Airlines will remain shut out of the trans-Pacific route when the federal Government launches its long-awaited aviation green paper tomorrow.

The draft blueprint for the nation's aviation industry reiterates the Government's stand that it has no immediate plans to grant additional third country access to the route, so that Virgin Blue offshoot V Australia can establish its operations.

The report does continue on from this though, and this is what it says

One of the few competitive rights Australia does have is access to the trans-Pacific route between Australia and the United States. The Australian Government has made it clear that it has no immediate plans for additional third country access to the route at this time to allow V Australia a reasonable opportunity to establish its operations. The Government has not ruled out trading such access in the future, where this is considered to be in the national interest. The maximum national benefit possible would be sought if a decision is made to trade such access in the future

See page 106 of http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/aviation/nap/files/03_International_Aviation.pdf​

 

[laffer]

So when some countries are lobbying in this climate to maintain free trade it is good that Australia, a fly speck of a country, reinforces protectionism?

The only jobs they are protecting in the short term are QF and V Australia - the jobs that they are risking are ancillary services and the broader business community who are forced to pay higher airfares.

I am guessing the bigger picture is just as far as Australia's borders then...

The problem is that they are not really protecting aussie jobs either. QF makes no secret of its desire to outsource elements of its maintenance (and has done so) and has outsourced other QF functions. I would suggest the same would apply to VA. This is a joke of a decision.

Sure VA may have lobbied but QF is far more powerful in Canberra then VA. Having the former Chief of Staff to the current Prime Minister as your Head of Lobbying must help.

 

[laffer]

The report does continue on from this though, and this is what it says

See page 106 of http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/aviation/nap/files/03_International_Aviation.pdf​

Ahh so if Qantas identifies another route they can squeeze even more profit out of then this may be considered in the national interest to trade access to this route for access to the pacific route?

Hmmm. Wonder where that could be? Doubt it exists to be honest. Maybe Mozambique.