Airline Exploits Legal Loophole with 'Ghost Flights': Backlash Ensues

Qatar Airways has faced backlash for operating "ghost flights" between Melbourne and Adelaide in Australia, exploiting a legal loophole in the country's aviation laws. The airline registered its take-off and landing location in Adelaide, allowing it to make additional flights to Melbourne without being subject to caps on weekly trips to major airports. These flights often had minimal passengers, with no ticket sales permitted for domestic passengers traveling between the two cities. The practice of ghost flights contributes to unnecessary pollution and is seen as exploitative of aviation laws. The Australian Department of Infrastructure and Transport has intervened to allow passengers and cargo on these previously near-empty flights. Efforts are needed to discourage this practice and encourage the aviation industry to reconsider its policies to minimize environmental damage.