Deputy Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has hit back at claims flights were allowed to land after curfew at Sydney airport because politicians were on board.
Max Moore-Wilson, the boss of Sydney airport, claimed that Virgin Australia was on Tuesday night given preferential treatment and allowed to land 10 planes after the strict 11pm (AEST) curfew, News Corp Australia reports.
"I suspect there were a few politicians on those planes," he told an aviation conference in Sydney on Friday.
But Mr Albanese has refuted the statement, saying Virgin requested permission for four flights to land outside curfew at Sydney and Adelaide because of a "breakdown in (Virgin Australia's) communication system."
However, only one used this permission to land at Adelaide, he says.
News that makes sense
Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.
No flights landed after curfew on Tuesday night, News Corp reports.
Mr Albanese accused Mr Moore-Wilton of making "personal attacks" and "an extraordinary assertion" motivated by a desire to stop a second airport being built for Sydney.
"Max Moore-Wilton believes that this should continue to be a monopoly airport, the only airport for Sydney," Mr Albanese told reporters on Saturday.
And in order to downplay its problems "he tries to find some other reason why there are constraints and issues at this airport," the Deputy Prime Minister added.
Mr Albanese said jobs, economic growth and "Sydney's future as a global city" would be jeopardised if a second airport isn't constructed.
