Virgin Australia boss Paul Scurrah has angrily condemned comments by rival Qantas for spreading misinformation over Virgin’s financial health.
Scurrah wrote to Australia’s competition regulator claiming the comments could ’cause immediate and irreparable damage to a competitive Australian air passenger transport industry.’
"Virgin Australia has seen widespread reporting of public comments from Qantas and its executive team questioning directly or indirectly Virgin Australia’s financial viability and encouraging the government to refrain from extending any government support," Scurrah wrote to Australian Competition and Consumer Commission chairman Rod Sims.
"We have received reports of Qantas briefing journalists on the false pretence that Virgin Australia cash reserves are running out within days and that Virgin Australia has appointed administrators."
"We are aware of social media reports that Qantas has sought to promote a campaign that the government exclude Virgin Australia from any COVID-19 financial support package."
Qantas group chief Alan Joyce had said it would be ‘completely unfair’ for financial aid to be given to one airline and not another.
The government should not ‘look after badly managed companies that have been badly managed for 10 years,’ Joyce told Sky News Australia.
Joyce later ramped to the rhetoric by saying: "Governments are definitely not there to support a company that’s owned by Singaporeans, Chinese, Abu Dhabi and a British billionaire," referring to Virgin founder Sir Richard Branson.
Scurrah is urging the ACCC to look into the comments and take necessary action.
