ACCC plans to authorise Virgin-Qatar flight alliance
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The news: The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is proposing to authorise Virgin Australia and Qatar Airways’ plan to sell flights between Australia and Doha under an integrated alliance.
The proposed authorisation remains subject to consultation, with submissions open until 7 March.
The numbers: Under the proposed alliance, Virgin Australia, in partnership with Qatar Airways, would sell tickets for 28 new weekly return services connecting Doha with Perth, Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne.
The context: The ACCC granted interim authorisation in November, allowing the airlines to begin selling tickets for the new services while the regulator continued its review.
Ahead of the interim authorisation, the airlines provided a court-enforceable undertaking to protect customers should the ACCC ultimately reject their plans. If that happens, passengers who had already booked flights under the alliance would be offered a refund or re-accommodation on a suitable alternative at no extra charge, along with compensation for any reasonably foreseeable costs.
According to the ACCC, a number of interested parties have raised concerns since last November that the proposed conduct would circumvent Australian workplace regulations and that a lack of time limits on the use of Qatar-based crew for the new services would have a negative impact on Australia's aviation workforce.
