In a submission to a Senate inquiry on the matter, the airline argued that penalties, which could be up to $20,000, should be considered annually because delays at Sydney Airport are often due to a variety of factors that aren’t known immediately.

As part of the ADF’s Operation Solania, the aircraft flew sorties out of Suva and monitored the country’s exclusive economic zone.

In the Australian Airports Association’s submission to the ACCC on the proposal, CEO Simon Westaway said the plan for Virgin to wet lease Qatar Airways aircraft would add extra international capacity for both passengers and cargo.

The carrier has undertaken what it says was the world’s first EDTO (Extended Detour Time Operations) 120 737-800BCF flight from Melbourne to Perth on behalf of Team Global Express, having recently been certified by New Zealand’s Civil Aviation Authority for EDTO 120 capability.