Joyce summoned to cost of living inquiry over high fares
Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce has been summoned to Canberra to appear before a parliamentary cost of living inquiry, as pressure mounts on the national carrier about competition in domestic and international aviation.
Qantas is set to deliver a record profit of up to $2.5 billion on Thursday, due in part to high airfares and falling jet fuel prices.
Alan Joyce and Anthony Albanese at the Qantas unveiling of its Yes logo last week. Louie Douvis
The Senate summoned Mr Joyce to appear before its committee into the cost of living after Qantas nominated a different executive to attend.
“Despite no other company CEO being required to attend, the committee subsequently insisted that Qantas CEO Alan Joyce appear, which he will do,” a Qantas spokesman said.
It will be the first time the Qantas boss has fronted the Senate since March 2014, when he defended the airline’s decision to cut 5000 jobs and send aircraft maintenance work offshore.
“After almost a decade of evading parliamentary scrutiny, even while receiving a $2.7 billion no-strings-attached bailout from the Morrison government, Mr Joyce has a lot to answer for,” said NSW Labor Senator and former transport workers union boss Tony Sheldon.
“Qantas has transformed from an aviation pioneer, into a pioneer of corporate greed, extracting every last cent possible from its workers, its customers and even the previous federal government.
“Between its war on its workers, price gouging on fares, its shonky credits system and aggressive competitive behaviour, it is high time that Qantas is held to account.”
The committee will examine whether bonuses paid to Mr Joyce have come at the expense of passengers, as well as Qantas’s heavily criticised flight credit scheme, which is the
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