Qantas/American Airlines alliance given green light for five more years
The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission has just announced a final determination to reauthorise the trans-Pacific alliance between Qantas and American Airlines for a further five years.
“The ACCC considers this alliance would be likely to result in continued public benefits for passengers travelling between Australia and the US through enhanced products and services including new frequencies and destinations, more online connections, better scheduling, greater loyalty program benefits, and improved lounge access,” ACCC Commissioner Roger Featherston said.
Featherston added the partnership is also “likely to promote competition between other airlines that provide services on trans-Pacific routes.”
In making its decision, the competition regulator said it accepted the carriers’ comments that American Airlines would have been unlikely to launch flights to Sydney late last year without an extension of the alliance.
More details in today’s issue of Travel Daily.