Qantas’s Dubai hotline

QANTAS has announced a phone hotline for customers worried about its new route to London and Europe via Dubai, as Jewish community concerns continue over the airline’s revised flight arrangements.

The news from Qantas CEO Alan Joyce comes as the Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ) prepares to hold talks with the airline over the new route.

Israeli passport holders are prohibited from entering the UAE other than to transit to another destination and, if there is a delay, they are not permitted to leave the airport.

ECAJ executive director Peter Wertheim and president Dr Danny Lamm will meet with Joyce on November 14 to express the Jewish community’s alarm at the flight overhaul, which resulted from the airline’s new partnership with Emirates.

The ECAJ has made a submission to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), pointing out that the new arrangements may present difficulties to Australians who have Israeli stamps in their passports.

“We have had verbal assurances from the UAE Embassy that these travellers will not encounter problems,” Wertheim wrote in the ECAJ submission.

“But until these assurances are confirmed by an official statement from the UAE government that specifically addresses the position of Australian travellers who have Israeli travel stamps in their passports, the position remains uncertain.”

Wertheim told The AJN, “The issue affects not only members of the Jewish community, but also many other Australians who have visited Israel.

In an opinion piece in this week’s AJN, Joyce stated his airline management “respect that some will prefer to transit through Asia en route to Europe, instead of through Dubai. To help cater for this, we have set up a special hotline to assist Qantas customers with specific questions about transit points.”

Joyce wrote, “Qantas will continue to fly to key destinations in Asia, including Singapore, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Manila and Bangkok. From these destinations, we can put you on one of our partner airlines through to Europe.

“These partners include British Airways, Cathay Pacific and Japan Airlines. These journeys can be booked directly through Qantas.com or your travel agent. You can earn and redeem Qantas Frequent Flyer points on these journeys.”

Joyce also reiterated that anyone travelling on an Australian passport but with a stamp or stamps indicating they have visited Israel will be able to enter Dubai. Israeli passport holders can purchase tickets on Emirates flights, and Emirates offers kosher dining as part of a multicultural menu.

The Qantas hotline can be accessed by calling 1300 655 234 between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday, and can provide advice on existing and future bookings.

PETER KOHN