Following an application filed in September 2012, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has recently approved a commercial partnership between two leading airlines, Emirates and Qantas, which will lead to a joint network of the current destinations on schedule by both airlines, offering passengers certain benefits including connections from Dubai to sixty-five (65) one stop destinations in Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. The commercial partnership for the joint network which has been approved by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission for a term of five (5) years, has been welcomed by the said two airlines.
The first flight under the approved partnership, took place on 7 April, 2013 from Sidney to London via Dubai.
President of Emirates Airline, Tim Clark, has been quoted to have remarked that “Dubai is a leading global hub and through it, our two airlines will connect Australia to Europe, the UK and Northern Africa more smoothly than ever before.” Indeed, such a joint network shall facilitate frequent flyers with much attractive pricing, capacity as well as schedules, and is expected to boost the number of passengers and hence, resulting in higher turnover expectations for both airlines. Emirates already operate daily flights from Malta to Dubai via Cyprus.
Alan Joyce, Chief Executive Officer of Qantas Group is said to have said that “Qantas is an Australian icon and the future of its international business is much brighter with this partnership.”
Advocates, Tanti-Dougall & Associates has been providing its professional services to clients, both local and international, with issues relating to competition law both in Malta as well as before the European Commission.
