Qantas wins ACCC interim approval for American Airlines tie-up

[MarcB]

Just saw this online - could be good news for fares to some US destinations if the QF submission is followed through with...

Qantas wins approval for American Airlines tie-up | News | Business Spectator

 

[djfuzz]

Can someone please explain how this deal is different to the existing arrangements between AA and QF, bilaterally and through OW? I thought their transpac services were already 'co-ordinated'...

 

[MarcB]

Can someone please explain how this deal is different to the existing arrangements between AA and QF, bilaterally and through OW? I thought their transpac services were already 'co-ordinated'...

There is quite a good explanation in the QF submission. It has to do - apparently - with the type of codeshare arrangement that currently exists. The current arrangement is a free-sale codeshare arrangement and this means that the operating carrier controls the inventory and the agreed buckets must have availability in order for the codeshare airline to sell that inventory. This means that deeply discounted inventory might be available on the operating carrier but not in the codeshare bucket meaning an entire fare is priced upwards. Currently, the arrangements do not allow any coordination regarding fares, inventory etc because this would be a breach of the TPA. Hence this application.

I encourage you to read the submission - very detailed and informative.

Qantas Airways Limited & American Airlines Inc. - Authorisations - A91265 & A91266

 

[adrian]

When I first read the article, I thought maybe it meant that AA would be flying to Australia again. But apparently not

 

[Blackadder]

No way would AA return to Australian skys, as the Trans Pac route is the most profitable for QANTAS.

 

[serfty]

No way would AA return to Australian skys, as the Trans Pac route is the most profitable for QANTAS.

It certainly had been up until more carriers untered the fray such as DL/VA.

I did come across a suggestion the AA might take over the DFW route some time using 777's. But that remains to be seen.