Approving more Qatar Airways flights to Australia would go against ‘national interest’, government says

Labor defends decision to reject request for additional 21 services as international air fares remain high

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The Australian government has said that approving Qatar Airways's push to increase flights to the country would go against Australia's national interest", as seats on international flights remain scarce and expensive.

The Albanese government has in recent weeks defended its decision to reject a request from Qatar to fly an additional 21 services into Australia's major airports, beyond the 28 flights a week it currently operates under existing bilateral air rights.

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