Emirates, Qantas announce major global aviation partnership
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Emirates and Qantas announced a new global
aviation partnership. Under the agreement signed this morning by Emirates President Tim Clark and Qantas CEO Alan Joyce, Qantas will move its hub for European flights from Singapore to Dubai and enter an extensive commercial relationship with Emirates.
The 10-year code-sharing partnership is enhanced by integrated network collaboration with coordinated pricing, sales and scheduling as well as a benefits sharing model. Neither airline will take equity in the other.
The partnership will see Qantas, along with anchor tenant Emirates, as the only other airline operating at Dubai International’s Terminal 3. The two airlines will jointly offer 98 weekly services between Australia and Dubai including four daily A380 flights.
In addition, Qantas will launch daily A380 services from both Sydney and Melbourne to London via Dubai for a combined unprecedented seven daily A380 flights to London Heathrow. Thirty additional European gateways can be reached from Australia via Dubai.
The carriers will also coordinate their respective trans-Tasman services between Australia and New Zealand with Emirates offering improved schedules for flights to Christchurch and Auckland – including the introduction of Emirates’ daily A380 services on the Melbourne-Auckland route in October.
“The time was right for developing a long term, future forward partnership with Qantas, the iconic Australian airline,” said Tim Clark, President of Emirates.
Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce said: “Together with Emirates, Qantas will provide a unique ‘one stop’ hub service, as well as a deeply integrated frequent flyer and customer proposition.”
The airlines will submit applications for authorisation to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and other relevant regulatory authorities, in order to begin commercial planning. Subject to regulatory approvals, it is anticipated that the partnership arrangements will take effect in April 2013.
