Qantas (QF, Sydney Kingsford Smith) and Emirates (EK, Dubai International) have announced they will modify their trans-Tasman operations in a bid to obtain the greenlight from the Australian and New Zealand regulatory authorities to renew their existing partnership for a further five years.

In a joint statement issued earlier this week, Emirates said that as part of the placative measures, effective March 2018, it would terminate its existing services to Auckland International, New Zealand, from each of Melbourne Tullamarine and Brisbane International. It will, however, retain its Sydney Kingsford Smith-Christchurch route while at the same time evaluating potential new direct services between New Zealand and Dubai International.

At the same time, to provide greater choice across the Tasman, Qantas will increase the frequency of its services between Australia and New Zealand, adding seven new return flights per week between Melbourne Tullamarine and Auckland International and an extra two return services per week between Brisbane and Auckland. Some of these services will be up-gauged from a B737-800 to a wide-body A330-200. Emirates will, in turn, codeshare on Qantas' new trans-Tasman services.

The airlines’ joint submission to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and New Zealand Ministry of Transport also includes, as previously reported, Qantas’ re-routing of its Sydney-London Heathrow service via Singapore Changi rather than Dubai and Emirates’ new, fourth daily A380-800-operated Sydney-Dubai service.

“It will enable us to continue developing world-class customer experiences, and contribute to stimulating increased opportunities for international trade, tourism and commerce,” Emirates President Tim Clark said.