BANANAS grown in the Philippines are being served on Qantas flights.
Furious passengers from the Far North have called the nation's premier airline "unAustralian", while dismayed banana growers and Far Northern politicians want answers.
Far Northern growers are still fighting against banana imports from the Philippines, despite Biosecurity Australia giving the green light to imports if they can meet yet-to-be-finalised quarantinerequirements.
Kuranda resident Toni Rogers complained to Qantas after passengers were served Filipino bananas on a recent flight from Auckland to Sydney.
"You see Qantas' promotions for the Socceroos, their planes' Aboriginal paintings, their advertisements with choirs of kids calling Australia home and with Qantas supporting the Australian way - but there is nothing Australian about sourcing Philippines bananas for their food trays," Ms Rogers said.
Innisfail Banana Growers Association president Mark Nucifora said farmers were disappointed and wanted an explanation from the airline.
"I think most Australians would find it disappointing," Mr Nucifora said.
New Zealand does not grow bananas and accepts imports from the Philippines.
Australian Banana Growers Council CEO Tony Heindrich yesterday said the risks of industry-crippling diseases or pests coming into Australia via the Qantas bananas were slight but "not beyond the realms of possibility if someone quite inadvertently stuck a Filipino banana in their handbag".
A Qantas spokesman said all flights leaving from Australia had Australian produce on board, including bananas.
He said Qantas flights leaving from overseas "loaded what produce is available in those ports".
Federal Kennedy MP Bob Katter called on Qantas to stop service of bananas on its flights.
