Qantas and China Eastern (MU) have announced that they have submitted an application to Australian and Chinese regulators for a new joint venture, which is to see "a deeper level of commercial cooperation on flights between Australia and China". The partnership, if approved, is set to commence in mid-2015.
The two airlines, represented by Qantas Group chief executive Alan Joyce and China Eastern chairman Liu Shaoyong, inked the five-year pact today at a ceremony attended by Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott and President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping. Not many details about the joint venture have been revealed, but according to an official statement by Qantas, it is to "complement the Qantas-Emirates partnership for Europe, Middle East and North Africa and the Qantas-American Airlines partnership for the US".
Qantas connects Sydney with Shanghai, MU's base, with a daily flight. It also codeshares with the Chinese airline on the Shanghai-Melbourne route. It currently operates out of T2 of the Shanghai Pudong airport, but when the new agreement comes into effect, it will relocate its operations to T1 for better connectivity with MU. The airline has also stated in the press statement and it hopes open up more routes between the two countries, Brisbane- and Perth-Shanghai.
The two airlines have had an ongoing partnership since 2008. They are also partners in Jetstar Hong Kong, which has not been able to obtain its operating license because of questions over its management structure (see story).
Visit qantas.com.au and flychinaeastern.com
Reggie Ho
