Last year, Qantas and Emirates announced a deep codeshare tie-up, and has been waiting for approvals from Australian Competitions and Consumer Commission (ACCC) to commence the partnership.
Interim approval has been granted by the ACCC, with full approval due for early March.
For the rest of us, this means that through booking is now available on Emirates – Qantas routes from the 31st March 2013, which will change the current “Kangaroo Hop” routing from Singapore to Dubai, whilst expanding codeshares, allowing Qantas customers to change at Dubai for the Emirates vast and extensive European and Africa network (and beyond), whilst allowing ease of access to the Qantas Long Haul network at Dubai for ease of transfer.
This will provide 98 flights per week to Australia via Dubai from 31 March 2013, with Qantas operating 2 daily A380 flights from London to Australia via Dubai
For frequent flyers in Emirates Skywards or Qantas Frequent Flyer, there is some additional good news for bookings made from now onwards for travel on the 31st March 2013 – you will earn points and Status credits when flying on Qantas marketed flights operated by Emirates (with a QF flight number). There will also be “reciprocal access to tier status benefits”
Currently, Qantas operates a Joint Business Agreement with British Airways – operating services in a combined form. This is due to be dissolved on 31st March 2013. British Airways will maintain the London – Singapore – Sydney run, with an equipment switch to its comparatively new Boeing 777-300 aircraft.