Catherine King says Turkish Airlines expansion 'routine' decision that will open new market
The federal government insists approving a massive expansion in air rights for Turkish Airlines despite rejecting a similar proposal by Qatar was a "routine" decision, and would open a new market for Australia. Catherine King quietly approved a proposal for Türkiye's airline capacity to expand from seven weekly flights to 35 by the middle of 2025, including rights to operate routes between Australia and countries other than Türkiye.
The move has reignited a debate that began when Ms King earlier this year rejected a similar proposal by Qatar to add 21 weekly flights out of Australia's major airports — which the competition watchdog said would have helped make flights cheaper.
The government faced accusations it was protecting the profits of Qantas by limiting additional capacity — Ms King consistently rejected that claim, instead suggesting that the aviation sector was still stabilising after flights were grounded in the COVID-19 pandemic.
She also cited a 2020 incident in which women were strip-searched at Doha Airport as a factor in her decision.
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