0025 GMT - When asked about the potential threat from a Virgin Australia-Qatar Airways alliance, Qantas CEO Vanessa Hudson responded that "we always said that we welcome competition." She adds that the government struck the "right balance" in approving Qatar taking a 25% stake in Virgin Australia while also putting in place some guidelines around aircraft leasing. Among the guidelines are secondment opportunities for Virgin Australia crew with Qatar so they can get long-haul experience, and a pledge that certain future lease arrangements use Australian-based labor. Virgin Australia initially plans to lease aircraft with crew from Qatar to operate international services to the Middle East. "Having more competition, that actually makes us better, and we're focused on delivering for our customers and investing in our aircraft," Hudson says. (mike.cherney@wsj.com; @Mike_Cherney)
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
February 26, 2025 19:25 ET (00:25 GMT)
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