‘What else do they have to do wrong?’: Canberra Airport chief blasts Qantas
Canberra Airport’s chief has blasted Qantas, accusing it of mistreating its staff and customers, and breaching contract conditions as he called for heavier regulation to finally bring the national carrier “to heel”.
In his opening statement to a Senate committee on Friday, Canberra Airport CEO Stephen Byron said Qantas would further ride roughshod over consumers, competitors and suppliers until it was brought into line by stronger regulatory action.
Canberra Airport boss Stephen Byron has criticised Qantas for mistreating its staff and customers. Kirsty Umback
“What else does Qantas have to do wrong in addition to its unlawful sacking of staff, its appalling treatment of customers with flight credit, cancellations and sky-high airfares, and its excessive profit and its mismanagement of cancelled flights,” Mr Byron asked.
“Qantas will not change, unless they’re brought to heel by a regulator or by the highest court in the land.”
The committee, tasked with investigating the Albanese government’s decision to block Qatar Airways’ application for an additional 28 weekly flights to Australia earlier this year, was held in Perth on Friday, where airport chiefs, local farming and livestock representatives gave evidence.
John Hassell, president of WA Farmers, appears at a Senate hearing held in Perth on Friday. Trevor Collens
WA Farmers president John Hassell said a lack of air freight capacity was a key factor in local producers losing out.
Mr Hassell said the WA industry was losing as much as $1.5 million a week compared with a year ago because of a convergence of less air freight capacity, dry weather and an impending live export ban on sheep.
He said Transport Minister Catherine King was hurting farmers at a time sheep
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