Perth Airport chairman Nev Power has rejected claims by Qantas that the airport is putting at risk extra nonstop flights from Europe amid a long-running spat over the use of an ageing domestic terminal.

At the weekend, Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce was reported as saying the carrier could walk away from plans to introduce new services direct from Paris and Frankfurt unless the airport agreed to let it use terminals three and four.

The terminals are in a separate building to the regular international facility at terminal one, but under an agreement thrashed out in 2016, Qantas was given permission to use them for its nonstop London-Perth service.

That agreement also allows Qantas to put other nonstop European services through T3 and T4 until 2025, when the airline has given in-principle agreement to move its operations to a “consolidated” T1.

However, Qantas is now threatening to scrap those plans because of the airport’s refusal to allow it to use T3 and T4 for a proposed seasonal service between Johannesburg and Perth.

Mr Joyce said the London-Perth service, which has enjoyed occupancy rates of 94 per cent for business class and 92 per cent for economy class, “only worked” at T3 and T4.

Camera Icon Perth Airport chairman Nev Power. Credit: Sharon Smith

“They’re trying to stop us growing significantly in international from the domestic side (of the airport), but Perth-London only works through that hub,” Mr Joyce told Fairfax Media.

He also described Mr Power as a “really good guy” and said he was “hopeful” the two parties could reach a breakthrough.

Mr Power, a former Fortescue Metals Group chief executive, responded by reminding Mr Joyce of the commitment by Qantas to eventually move to T1.

He also noted that T1 would be serviced by the $1.8 billion Forrestfield-Airport rail line, along with Gateway WA, the State’s most expensive road project.

“(Perth Airport chief executive) Kevin Brown and I look forward to meeting with Alan Joyce and the Qantas team to progress these matters,” Mr Power said.

“We believe that by working together we can deliver something special for both Qantas and for Western Australia.

“Perth Airport is committed to working with Qantas ... to ensure Perth Airport has the capacity, amenity and efficiency to deliver passengers a seamless, quality travel experience.”

Play Video Watch the moment the Qantas Perth to London Dreamliner touches back down in Perth in record time. The West Australian Video Watch the moment the Qantas Perth to London Dreamliner touches back down in Perth in record time.

The salvo comes as Perth Airport and the airlines hammer out a deal that will set the prices paid by Qantas to use the airport’s runways and terminals.

Although a draft proposal includes a reduction in the prices paid by Qantas, which is the airport’s biggest customer with 55 per cent of the domestic market and 15 per cent of international, it is believed the carrier is pushing for further concessions.

The two are also deep in negotiations over the T4 lease, which expires at the end of the year and which the airport will take back subject to paying Qantas compensation for “fair and reasonable” improvements.