SINGAPORE : Singapore Airlines (SIA) strongly rejected allegations by Australia's opposition Labour Party it had offered free flights to Australian lawmakers as part of lobbying efforts to gain access to lucrative Australia-US routes.
SIA spokesman Stephen Forshaw said the carrier had invited members of the Australian Parliament's transport committee to visit Singapore but only to be briefed on the airline's operations and scale of its investments in Australia.
He said Singapore-Australia talks for an open-skies agreement agreement were being held at a government-to-government level which did not involve the transport committee members.
Australian Labor Party tourism spokesman Martin Ferguson yesterday criticised SIA for offering an all expenses paid four-day trip to Singapore to the 10 members of the House of Representatives' transport and regional affairs committee.
Speaking on national radio, Ferguson linked the offer to SIA's efforts to convince the Australian government to give it access to the lucrative Australia-US routes now dominated by Australian flag carrier Qantas.
The exchanges come ahead of a trip by Australian transport minister, Deputy Prime Minister John Anderson, to Singapore next week for talks with his counterpart on the issue.
"We reject absolutely any suggestion from Martin Ferguson that the visit is linked to the ongoing air services talks," SIA spokesman Forshaw said in a statement.
He noted that that air negotiations are being held between the Australian and Singaporean governments and that the parliamentary committee is neither involved in the discussions nor does it negotiate Australia's air rights.
"SIA is a major player in the Australian market. We fly over 4,300 flights a year into Australia and carry almost two million passengers a year into and out of Australia.
"We invest hundreds of millions of dollars a year in the Australian economy, train all our pilots in Australia and are the largest overseas airline flying to and from Australia by passenger numbers," Forshaw said.
"It is just a natural part of our place in the Australian market to ensure that politicians and the wider community understand our business, the size and scale of our operations in Australia and the issues we face."
He described Ferguson's remarks as "part of what has become a very bitter campaign being waged against SIA by those who seek to maintain protection of Qantas on the US route, which is unquestionably one of the most protected air routes in the world."
SIA remains "resolutely focused" on providing travellers on Australia-US routes a wider choice, he said.
Last month, SIA chief executive Chew Choon Seng said the Australia-US routes are a market "crying out for additional supply of capacity and (more) competition."
Singapore Transport Minister Yeo Cheow Tong said earlier this week the city-state is aiming for a full open-skies agreement with Australia within two years.
- AFP
Is it because they lost the elections and vent their anger?