THE Aussie carrier has been formally cleared to operate an additional weekly service between Brisbane and Honiara, despite Solomon Airlines labelling the move “a cynical attempt to dump capacity on a struggling route in order to reduce competition by driving out the only other player”.
In making its decision, the IASC said it considered Solomon Airlines’ arguments as primarily affecting its own commercial operations, and did not provide enough grounds to reject the benefits for the Australian travelling public.
“Qantas’ additional service is proposed on a day not currently served by either carrier, thereby expanding schedule choice and frequency,” the IASC said.
“The [extra capacity] is expected to…place downward pressure on airfares, as well as stimulate additional passenger traffic.”
Qantas was asked by the IASC to respond to Solomon Airlines’ concerns, but the carrier decided against filing a counter.
Speaking to travelBulletin’s sister publication Travel Daily about the IASC decision, a spokesperson for Solomon Airlines said it was “extremely disappointed”.
“We stand by our position that traffic demand on the Brisbane-Honiara route is stagnant and does not require additional capacity, and that a sufficient spread of services across any given week already exists to cater for traveller demand.
“We see no additional benefit to Australian travellers… and we note that Qantas has also elected to operate mostly on the same days as our existing services and often at the same time.
“We cannot stand by and see our sustainability gradually eroded by a foreign carrier seeking to utilise excess aircraft capacity, we will be taking other measures to counter this anti-competitive action.”
