DFAT wants air routes opened up
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DFAT wants air routes opened up
DFAT wants air routes opened up - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFAT) wants the Federal Government to open up domestic aviation routes to international carriers.
The department's submission to the Government's review of aviation policy says liberalising the market would increase competition and lower prices.
The department says the cost of passenger and cargo flights would be more competitive if the domestic market was opened up, like international routes have been.
But the department says international carriers should only get access to domestic routes if Australian airlines get reciprocal rights.
But a group representing airlines that fly to and from Australia says the proposal would be impractical.
The director of the Board of Airline Representatives of Australia, Warren Bennet, says foreign airlines are at a disadvantage because they land at international terminals, where passengers must clear Customs.
He says that makes it difficult for them to compete with local airlines.
"That places operational constraints on their ability to compete with the domestic carriers," he said.
"It's just not feasible to start putting at this stage, even on the most highly intensive routes in Australia, the large jets that come to and from Australia."
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFAT) wants the Federal Government to open up domestic aviation routes to international carriers.
The department's submission to the Government's review of aviation policy says liberalising the market would increase competition and lower prices.
The department says the cost of passenger and cargo flights would be more competitive if the domestic market was opened up, like international routes have been.
But the department says international carriers should only get access to domestic routes if Australian airlines get reciprocal rights.
But a group representing airlines that fly to and from Australia says the proposal would be impractical.
The director of the Board of Airline Representatives of Australia, Warren Bennet, says foreign airlines are at a disadvantage because they land at international terminals, where passengers must clear Customs.
He says that makes it difficult for them to compete with local airlines.
"That places operational constraints on their ability to compete with the domestic carriers," he said.
"It's just not feasible to start putting at this stage, even on the most highly intensive routes in Australia, the large jets that come to and from Australia."
United Airlines were very interested in the past. They carried pure domestic passengers between SYD-MEL and vv for $50 each way from memory until the approval was withdrawn.
