Embattled Qantas chair Richard Goyder to appear at Senate inquiry into Qatar Airways decision

Qantas’s embattled chair, Richard Goyder, will appear before a Senate inquiry into the Albanese government’s decision to reject Qatar Airways’ request to almost double its flights into Australia as he faces widespread calls for his resignation. Goyder, who will be joined by the new Qantas CEO, Vanessa Hudson, on Wednesday, will be called on to defend the national carrier against a series of criticisms by industry witnesses that the airline has been engaging in anti-competitive behaviour, known as “slot hoarding”. But Qantas’s opposition to Qatar Airways’ expansion, and its lobbying efforts in Canberra, are expected to be front and centre. The announcement of the pair’s appearance follows a statement issued by the airline’s pilots calling for Goyder’s resignation as chair for his role in overseeing “one of the most damaging periods” in Qantas’s history. Hudson and Goyder will not be joined by the former CEO Alan Joyce, whose legal representatives told the committee he will be overseas and unavailable to appear either in person or online before it reports its findings on 9 October. The Virgin Australia CEO, Jayne Hrdlicka, representatives of Qatar Airways, as well as two former Australian Competition and Consumer Commission chairs, Allan Fels and Rod Sims, will also give evidence before the hearing in Canberra on Wednesday. The Australian and International Pilots Association president, Tony Lucas, said on Tuesday the morale of Qantas pilots has “never been lower”, calling for Goyder to lose his position.<br/>