Virgin, Etihad alliance gets reauthorised by ACCC

Virgin, Etihad alliance gets reauthorised by ACCC
By admin


The competition watchdog has reauthorised the alliance between Virgin Australia and Etihad Airways for a further five years, with the two airlines promising more public benefits are to come from the deal.

The alliance, which operates between Australia and the Middle East, sees the two carriers cooperate on joint pricing and scheduling of services.

Australian Competition and Consumer Commission chairman Rod Sims said the deal would continue to deliver public benefits by promoting competition and enhancing products and services offered to customers.

For example, Virgin Australia’s Sydney-Abu Dhabi service came about as part of the deal.

“The ACCC accepts that Virgin would not operate services to Abu Dhabi if this partnership with Etihad did not exist,” he said.

“Virgin could not offer a viable service on this route without offering the connections available on Etihad’s network within the alliance.”

Virgin Australia chief executive John Borghetti welcomed the ACCC’s acknowledgement of the public benefits of the alliance.

“Together with our alliance partner Etihad Airways, we look forward to continuing to bring choice and competition for Australians travelling between Australia, the Middle East and beyond to Europe,” he said.

“Since the launch of the alliance five years ago, we have introduced more codeshare destinations, delivered further enhancements to the customer experience and more than doubled seat capacity between Australia and Abu Dhabi.”

Meanwhile, Etihad president and chief executive James Hogan described it as a “real win” for Australian travellers.

“In the first five years of the alliance, we’ve shaken up the competitive landscape by delivering more destinations, more capacity and an unrivalled guest experience through new, state-of-the-art aircraft and major investments in product and service innovations,” he said.

“We are two best-in-class airlines, working together to offer a superior level of comfort and service; like-minded brands committed to putting the air traveller first through innovation and a shared passion for excellence.”

 

Latest News

  • Aviation

Low-cost Indian carrier SpiceJet continues to burn cash

It’s not just low-cost Australian carriers that are facing hardship. SpiceJet, India’s version of Bonza, recently announced a 72 per cent reduction in its net loss versus last year. But, despite this improvement, the airline has posted losses for six straight years. But it has secured board approval to raise up to INR 30 billion […]

  • Attractions

SAKA Museum recognised in TIME magazine’s World’s Greatest Places 2024

AYANA Resort Bali’s newly-opened cultural and events centre, SAKA Museum has been recognised in TIME magazine’s World’s Greatest Places list for 2024. Part of AYANA Bali’s resort destination, the museum integrates Bali’s rich history with state-of-the-art facilities, making it the centrepiece for the island’s spiritual and cultural heritage. TIME magazine’s inclusion of SAKA Museum in […]

  • Cruise

Silversea taps Barbara Biffi as senior vice president for global sales

Ultra-luxury and expedition cruise travel brand, Silverseas, has announced Barbara Biffi as its new senior vice president of global sales. Biffi joined the company in 2007, holding numerous positions and gaining a deep understanding of the brand, the preferences of its guests and its strategic goals, the company said. An Italian national with a wealth […]

  • Technology
  • Travel Agents

Amadeus welcomes FCM Travel as new reseller partner of Cytric Easy

Cytric Easy, the travel management tool embedded in Microsoft Teams, is to be integrated into FCM Travel portfolio. Amadeus and FCM Travel have extended their Cytric distribution agreement to include Cytric Easy. With this new agreement, global travel management company FCM Travel, becomes a reseller of the innovative travel management collaboration solution embedded into Microsoft […]