A liberalisation too far?

The push by the federal government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) to allow foreign airlines to fly domestic routes is both seriously flawed on safety grounds and ill thought out, and would bring nothing but grief for the industry and the country.

The simple fact is that virtually any foreign airline can already apply for an Australian AOC and operate in Australia – and New Zealand for that matter. Both countries were pioneers in this liberalisation.