Original article by Amelia McGuire
The Age – Page: Online : 2-Oct-24

Virgin Australia CEO Jayne Hrdlicka has defended the proposed deal to sell a 25 per cent stake in the carrier to Qatar Airways. As part of the deal with Qatar, Virgin aims to commence ‘wet lease’ services to Doha from mid-2025 using the Qatari airline’s fleet of aircraft. Hrdlicka adds that it would take six years for Virgin to gain access to enough planes to begin its own long-haul international flights. The Transport Workers Union has expressed concern about the implications of the wet lease deal for Virgin employees, given that its international flights will use Qatar Airways pilots and cabin crew.

CORPORATES
VIRGIN AUSTRALIA HOLDINGS LIMITED, QATAR AIRWAYS, TRANSPORT WORKERS’ UNION