The Flying Kangaroo has accused consumer group Choice of using out-of-date data to hand the airline a joke award for poor performance.
It follows the Federal Court last year ruling that the Flying Kangaroo was wrong to outsource 2,000 ground handling roles and subsequently rejecting the first appeal.
The airline suspended all international flying, including to New Zealand, on 30 March 2020. It has already restarted services to Bali and Fiji and will soon fly to Vanuatu and Samoa.
The deal, first announced in August, includes maritime surveillance and fixed-wing search and rescue alongside its mission aircrew training system.
The airline was hoping to begin operations last month but is unable to do so until it receives the crucial Air Operators Certificate.
The proxy group ISS has told its members that the CEO's targets aren’t “sufficiently challenging” ahead of a crucial meeting on Friday.