Australia’s commercial airlines are operating at a fraction of their pre-COVID-19 capacity but there is growing optimism within the industry as demand for interstate travel increases.
The ACCC’s second Airline Competition in Australia report, released today, shows total passenger numbers for the month of September 2020 were 87 per cent lower than September last year, and airline industry revenues were commensurately lower.
New figures released today show COVID-19-related consumer reports make up the majority of the 109,446 complaints the ACCC received in the first ten months of this year.
The impact of COVID-19 on consumers and fair trading report reveals the pandemic’s impact on travel resulted in 24,210 complaints to the ACCC, an increase of 497 per cent compared to the same period last year.
The ACCC has today granted interim authorisation to Virgin Australia and Alliance Airlines allowing them to cooperate on 41 regional routes and two short-haul international routes.
The ACCC’s preliminary view is that these arrangements are likely to result in a public benefit by assisting in the re-establishment of Virgin Australia’s national network of routes, thereby promoting competition in airline services.
Australia must do all it can to align the interests of business and society through sound laws that address some of the more damaging consequences of market power, ACCC Chair Rod Sims said today.
Speaking at the National Press Club in Canberra on ‘Tackling Market Power in the Covid-19 Era’, Mr Sims said it was crucial for Australia to tackle the issue of market power as it sought to recover economically from the pandemic and deal with the implications of an ever-growing digital economy.
Electricity prices paid by many residential and small business customers in New South Wales, South Australia, South East Queensland and Victoria fell between 2018 and 2019, the ACCC’s analysis of extensive data from over 8.5 million bills has shown, according to its latest electricity markets report.
The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) and participants in gas and electricity markets have been authorised to cooperate on measures to secure Australia’s energy supplies during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The authorisation granted by the ACCC today allows AEMO and energy industry participants to share essential personnel, essential inputs such as parts and equipment, and information about the operation of their facilities. They will also be permitted to co-ordinate repairs and maintenance.
The ACCC’s Airline Competition in Australia report released today explores the significant impact of COVID-19 on the sector and outlines the approach the ACCC will take to protecting competition. The report is the first under the Federal Treasurer’s direction to monitor domestic air passenger services.
The Australian Institute of Petroleum (AIP) and major oil refiners have been granted authorisation by the ACCC to continue cooperating on measures to improve the security of fuel supplies during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The pandemic continues to impact on Australia’s fuel supply chain, causing unpredictable changes in demand for fuel and creating a potential for major disruptions to the domestic and international fuel supply chains.
Supermarket operators will be allowed to continue cooperating to ensure supply of food and groceries in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, under an ACCC authorisation granted today.
Coles, Woolworths, Metcash, Aldi, and other grocery retailers whose participation is approved by the ACCC will be allowed to coordinate with each other when working with manufacturers, suppliers, and transport and logistics providers.