A new BNE based GM & a gentle reminder of [big] favours owed which was delivered to several key Govt depts and their respective pollie masters have given 'our airline' a slightly unofficial wider inclusive emphasis on the the word 'our'.
This is not the a typical case of aviation operational economics and rational balance sheet/P&L management - indeed, chicken little may be waiting a while for the sky to fall with this one.
AT
PS: Remember it was the Prime Minister's Dept that upon request during a call from level 49 of 80 Collins Street Melb; that g'teed payment for a few tonnes of fuel that enabled the release of one of their* planes in held hock at a not so friendly airport in early 2004.
similarly, forget not the bigger picture of the "Pacific Panama" where the downplayed Opens Skies segment of the last ill advised APEC soiree which made the likes of 'our airline' a potential starter in the race for future [defacto] Aussie slots and therefore; itself an attraction for external interests who would otherwise not be able to field a team.
(*duly acknowledge fact of same country, same a/c, but different trading identity)