Qantas files notice of intentions on HK and NZ routes

Qantas has applied to Australia’s International Air Services Commission (IASC) for  an allocation of capacity on the Hong Kong/Australia route, to consolidate multiple existing authorisations.

That airline has asked that:

• the capacity may be used by Qantas to provide services jointly with Jet Airways;
• the capacity may be used by Qantas to provide services jointly with British Airways; and
• the capacity may be used by Qantas to provide services jointly with Finnair. 

The Qantas move comes as another prominent carrier on the route, Virgin Atlantic, has given notice that it is pulling out and halting flights to Australia.

Qantas is seeking the determination for a period of five years and wants to be able to use it itself or with “another Australian carrier which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Qantas” and/or with the carriers mentioned above.

Qantas lodged several applications with the IASC last week. Some were in connection with proposed code shares, notably those between Jetstar and Emirates, slated to take force from 6 April 2014 (see separate story: Emirates, Jetstar launch codeshare to NZ, S’pore, SE Asia.)

In another application, Qantas is seeking a new allocation of unlimited passenger and freight capacity on the New Zealand route.

The airline wants to include the following new conditions on the Tasman route:

• the capacity may be used by Qantas to provide services jointly with Japan Airlines;
• the capacity may be used by Qantas to provide services jointly with China Southern Airlines; and
• the capacity may be used by Jetstar to provide services jointly with American Airlines. 

Submissions have been invited on some of the applications and the IASC requires advance notice. Some of the dates are imminent.

To check, see the IASC website.

Written by Peter Needham