Australian travellers are no closer to cheaper flights after a parliamentary inquiry into Qantas and Qatar Airways descended into a political brawl.
A day after a coalition-led report said the government should flip its decision to block extra Qatar flights, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese lashed Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie and said she had "no understanding" of the aviation sector.
But Senator McKenzie isn't backing down, suggesting Mr Albanese's "cosy personal and political relationship" with former Qantas boss Alan Joyce had skewed his decision-making.
The pair duked it out days before the Senate will vote on extending the inquiry to allow Mr Joyce to answer questions about what involvement his company had in the decision.
Senator McKenzie was hopeful the Greens would support the extension, noting their "very interesting" dissenting report called for greater transparency among domestic airlines.
"They agree with us we need competition in the domestic market ... they also believe there are questions to be answered by the former CEO," she told reporters in Canberra on Tuesday.
"Unfortunately, the Labor Party thinks now Mr Joyce is a private citizen that he's not subject to questioning by the Senate, and unfortunately that's not the case."
Earlier on Tuesday, the prime minister said reversing the decision to nearly double Qatar's weekly flights into Australia was a matter for Transport Minister Catherine King.
Ms King labelled the report a "coalition political stunt" on Monday and indicated no intention to review the call.
Mr Albanese backed the minister's decision to not appear before the inquiry should it be extended.
"There is nothing unusual about what has happened here," he told reporters in Port Lincoln.
"House of Reps members don't appear before Senate committees, not the least of which a Senate committee chaired by someone who has no understanding of the way the aviation system works in this country."
