Qantas and its finances arm Jetstar management greater than 65 per cent of the home market, whereas Virgin holds greater than 30 per cent. Politicians, competitors specialists and members of the broader trade have routinely attributed durations of excessive delays and cancellations to an absence of competitors within the airline sector.
“Ideas that the concentrated construction of Australia’s home aviation market or an absence of competitors are answerable for inflicting these ongoing operational points are completely misplaced and replicate neither the out there proof nor the drivers on airways to ship on-time efficiency,” Qantas’ submission stated.
The federal government not too long ago reinstated the ACCC’s tailor-made monitoring of the airline sector, after the funding for its quarterly reviews expired earlier this yr to outcry from customers and the remainder of the aviation sector.
Qantas used the submission to reiterate its defence in opposition to allegations that it hoards slots at Sydney Airport and confirmed its help for reform to the slot system as a part of the looming white paper. It additionally accused the nation’s airports of “behaving badly” and referred to as for higher regulation.
It additionally defended its COVID-19 flights credit score coverage, which was extensively criticised earlier this yr and finally wound again, arguing that it “in contrast favourably” to these of most worldwide airways even when clients have “not at all times discovered it straightforward to make use of”. Qantas scrapped the expiry date on COVID-19 flight credit in August after an in depth backlash. Rival Virgin Australia’s flight credit are set to run out in 2025.