Geza Ulole
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- Oct 31, 2009
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Kenyans now enter the fray of Qantas scrap with Canberra Airport
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Talking points
Last week the former chair of Australia’s competition watchdog, Graeme Samuel, likened the aggressive behaviour of Canberra Airport to something out of Somalia or Kenya.
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Mr Samuel made the comparison at an airline industry event at Parliament House on Thursday last week.
“I can’t contemplate any place in the world, except perhaps Somalia or perhaps Nairobi, where an aircraft would, having had to make an unscheduled landing because of weather, had a car parked in front of the aircraft, saying you cannot move until the airline provides a Visa card to extract a charge of $18,000,” he said.
“That’s not Australia. That’s a third world country. I’m assured by Qantas it doesn’t even happen in third world countries they are involved in.”
In contrast, Mr Kabira said Nairobi Airport was a bustling freight and transport hub of which Kenyans were proud.
Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce, who labelled Canberra Airport's behaviour "absolutely appalling".
Photo: Dominic Lorrimer
“The Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi is the centrepiece of this hub, serving millions of passengers every year,” he said.
“We are indeed proud that later in the year our national airline, Kenya Airways, will begin direct flights from Nairobi to New York.”
At the same event Mr Joyce had likened Canberra Airport to a band of Somali pirates.
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“Maybe the airport should be called ‘The Canberra Pirates’ because you wouldn’t have this in Somalia,” Mr Joyce said.
Canberra Airport managing director Stephen Byron.
Photo: Graham Tidy
“You wouldn’t have this in other parts of the world. It is unbelievably appalling behaviour.”
Mr Joyce’s comments referred to a stoush in March last year, in which the airport had asked Qantas to pay an $18,000 diversion fee following an unexpected landing due to bad weather.
A Canberra Airport spokeswoman said Qantas was bullying them after a flare-up over flight cancellations.
“Qantas doesn't like Canberra Airport calling them out on the cancellations,” the spokeswoman said.
Canberra Airport said the plane was only delayed for eight minutes while they negotiated a diversion agreement to prevent unexpected and unsafe landings in the future.
But Mr Joyce said he had encountered nothing like the incident in almost 30 years working in aviation.
A Canberra Airport spokeswoman said last week the airport had a positive meeting with Qantas, and was focused on repairing its relationship with the nation’s biggest airline.
Graeme Samuel, likened the aggressive behaviour of Canberra Airport to something out of Somalia or Kenya.
Photo: Jessica Shapiro
“If or Alan Joyce wants to continue this bullying behaviour, so be it,” the spokeswoman said.
“Unfortunately, this new attack comes after a positive meeting with Qantas yesterday and puts the progress we made on behalf of our customers in question.”
Canberra Airport has been publicly at loggerheads with Qantas for months, repeatedly speaking out against cancellation rates plaguing flights between Sydney and Canberra.
The airport has gone as far as seeking federal government intervention and recently met Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack to discuss the issue.
Steven Trask
Steven Trask is a reporter for The Canberra Times
Kenyans now enter the fray of Qantas scrap with Canberra Airport
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Talking points
- Canberra Airport has been at loggerheads with Qantas for months.
- Last week the airport's behaviour was likened to that of a Somali pirate crew.
- The Kenyan embassy has now entered the fray, rejecting such comparisons.
Last week the former chair of Australia’s competition watchdog, Graeme Samuel, likened the aggressive behaviour of Canberra Airport to something out of Somalia or Kenya.
AIR TRAVEL
Public spat sours hopes of luring Jetstar to Canberra Airport
Mr Samuel made the comparison at an airline industry event at Parliament House on Thursday last week.
“I can’t contemplate any place in the world, except perhaps Somalia or perhaps Nairobi, where an aircraft would, having had to make an unscheduled landing because of weather, had a car parked in front of the aircraft, saying you cannot move until the airline provides a Visa card to extract a charge of $18,000,” he said.
“That’s not Australia. That’s a third world country. I’m assured by Qantas it doesn’t even happen in third world countries they are involved in.”
In contrast, Mr Kabira said Nairobi Airport was a bustling freight and transport hub of which Kenyans were proud.
Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce, who labelled Canberra Airport's behaviour "absolutely appalling".
Photo: Dominic Lorrimer
“The Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi is the centrepiece of this hub, serving millions of passengers every year,” he said.
“We are indeed proud that later in the year our national airline, Kenya Airways, will begin direct flights from Nairobi to New York.”
At the same event Mr Joyce had likened Canberra Airport to a band of Somali pirates.
Advertisement
“Maybe the airport should be called ‘The Canberra Pirates’ because you wouldn’t have this in Somalia,” Mr Joyce said.
Canberra Airport managing director Stephen Byron.
Photo: Graham Tidy
“You wouldn’t have this in other parts of the world. It is unbelievably appalling behaviour.”
Mr Joyce’s comments referred to a stoush in March last year, in which the airport had asked Qantas to pay an $18,000 diversion fee following an unexpected landing due to bad weather.
A Canberra Airport spokeswoman said Qantas was bullying them after a flare-up over flight cancellations.
“Qantas doesn't like Canberra Airport calling them out on the cancellations,” the spokeswoman said.
Canberra Airport said the plane was only delayed for eight minutes while they negotiated a diversion agreement to prevent unexpected and unsafe landings in the future.
But Mr Joyce said he had encountered nothing like the incident in almost 30 years working in aviation.
A Canberra Airport spokeswoman said last week the airport had a positive meeting with Qantas, and was focused on repairing its relationship with the nation’s biggest airline.
Graeme Samuel, likened the aggressive behaviour of Canberra Airport to something out of Somalia or Kenya.
Photo: Jessica Shapiro
“If or Alan Joyce wants to continue this bullying behaviour, so be it,” the spokeswoman said.
“Unfortunately, this new attack comes after a positive meeting with Qantas yesterday and puts the progress we made on behalf of our customers in question.”
Canberra Airport has been publicly at loggerheads with Qantas for months, repeatedly speaking out against cancellation rates plaguing flights between Sydney and Canberra.
The airport has gone as far as seeking federal government intervention and recently met Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack to discuss the issue.
Steven Trask
Steven Trask is a reporter for The Canberra Times
Kenyans now enter the fray of Qantas scrap with Canberra Airport