Emirates, Qantas launch new alliance

Dubai-based Emirates Airline and Australia’s Qantas launched their new partnership yesterday with two Airbus A380s (one each from the two airlines) making a tandem flight over the famous Sydney Harbour Bridge.

The tie-up, approved last week by Australia’s competition watchdog, allows the two airlines to combine operations for an initial period of five years, including coordinating ticket prices and schedules.

Qantas will switch its hub for European flights from Singapore to Emirates’ Dubai base as the Australian airline attempts to turn around its struggling international business, said a report in The Australian.

“Dubai is the best hub for Qantas in the 21st century,” Qantas Chief Executive Alan Joyce was quoted as saying by the newspaper’s online edition after watching the flyover by the superjumbos. “It is eight hours’ flying time from 75 per cent of the world’s population.”

Joyce said the partnership would offer huge benefits to customers in terms of network and frequent flyer benefits. Emirates CEO Tim Clark said the alliance had created a “game-changing partnership” providing “one of the most formidable aviation networks in the world today”.