Emirates wants Qantas extension
Emirates will look to extend its historical partnership with Australia’s national carrier beyond the initial five year period.
In a recent interview with the airline’s president Tim Clark in London, Gulf News reported him saying “I see no reason why we won’t continue with the arrangement.”
The two airline giants entered into a revenue sharing partnership in 2013, that saw Qantas end a 17-year relationship with British Airways, and take its London-bound stopover from Singapore to Dubai.
Under the agreement, Emirates gains access to around 50 points in Australia through Qantas’ domestic network, while on the flip side, our national carrier scores connections with more than 70 destinations throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
“It’s doing really well at the moment. We’re filling our aeroplanes up, they’re filling our [aeroplanes and] we’re putting a lot on their domestic network,” Clark said.
With the expected extension, the two airlines will also be able to coordinate maintenance and crew training, as well as combine their purchasing power in fuel and frequent flyer programs, meaning passengers will benefit from flying with either airline.
But any extension is set to come with a watchful eye from Australia’s competition watchdog, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), according to Gulf News.
In 2013, the ACCC granted conditional approval to the partnership, that included allowing the deal for five years rather than the initial 10 Emirates and Qantas were seeking.
Despite this hiccup, the partnership is very much supported in Australian politics, with Trade Minister Andrew Robb praising the marriage of the two airlines.
“As long as Alan Joyce is there and I’m here at Emirates and the Emirates team is working closely together with Qantas [then] it will just be a continuation,” Clark told Gulf News.
“Getting onto any of our Australian aircraft, you’ve got to be heroic to get a seat because we just don’t seem to have any [empty seats],” he added, saying they need more Airbus A380s flying down under, in addition to the 93 flights operating to Australia each week.
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