Chủ Nhật, 23 tháng 6, 2013

Napthine in Asian aviation push

By a staff reporter


Victorian Premier Denis Napthine will lobby the federal government to lift current capacity restrictions on the flights of Asian airlines into Australia, following private meetings with a number of aviation companies in Indonesia and Malaysia last week.


The discussions took place with companies which were ready and waiting to expand into Australia but were stymied by federal regulations, and would turn away into other markets if change was not soon made, Dr Napthine told Business Spectator in Singapore.


“At the moment their flights are full, they’d like to have more flights, but they can’t,” he said.


Airlines involved in the series of conferences included Air Asia X, the budget arm of Air Asia, which was ready to double flights into Melbourne immediately if seats were available.


Air Asia X currently operates nine flights to Melbourne weekly and its parent company, Tune Group, has plans to build up to 20 hotels across Australia.


Meanwhile, “a couple” of airlines in Indonesia were looking at opportunities in Melbourne and Australia in the near future, but unable to act under current federal restrictions, he said.


“Until the Australian government is open to additional seat capacity, they’re stymied from even making business plans into those areas.”


Qantas would not comment on federal aircraft seating restrictions or any efforts to change them, but has previously expressed concern over moves that might affect its position at Australian airports.  


But Dr Napthine lashed Qantas opposition to looser regulation, saying it missed the mark.


“I think the concern that’s being expressed opposing the opening up of other seats is misguided and misfounded,” he said.


“Qantas, who perhaps influence, think that that might undermine their business. But it wouldn’t, because you’re looking at a different traveller. You’re not looking at a person wanting to pay a full service airline price. You’re not looking at the business traveller.


“We don’t see this as unreasonable competition with Qantas, because we’re looking at opening up completely new markets.”


But the federal government had only a finite window of “a couple of years” before the airlines’ business was captured by other destinations, Dr Napthine warned.


“So we need to do something now, because they’ve got to purchase the planes… and they’re very keen to do it.”


“If they can’t get seats into Victoria, what they’ll do then is they’ll invest into [flights] and hotels in the Seychelles, and elsewhere. And develop their air routes and their holiday package programs into other markets. And Australia will miss out.”


Tourism in Victoria is a $16 billion industry, accounting for 5 per cent of the state’s economy in 2011, according to the latest available figures from Tourism Victoria.


Inbound tourism from South East Asia to Victoria grew at 11 per cent annually to reach 323,200 visitors in 2012. 



Napthine in Asian aviation push

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