Analysis
A proposal by Qantas and Japan Airlines (JAL) for extensive cooperation on services between Australasia and Japan would expand the number of codeshare routes they offer and allow faster resumption of international flights in this market, but regulators will weigh that against the increasingly dominant position it would give the pair.
The airlines have asked the governments involved to allow a metal-neutral joint venture on routes between Japan and Australia. This would be a very significant step, as it would potentially give the Qantas and JAL groups a nearly 70% share of passengers in what was a fast-growing international market. They also propose dramatically increasing their codesharing on domestic services and flights from Australia to New Zealand.