Manila Bulletin
April 27, 2012
Sydney. Australian flag carrier Qantas is still considering Singapore as the base for a premium carrier in Asia, chief executive Alan Joyce said in a report published Monday.
Qantas’ Asian plans, which it sees as key to its strategy of revitalizing its loss-making international business, were dealt a blow when talks with Malaysian Airlines over the premium joint-venture collapsed last month.
Talks with Singapore on the issue had also lapsed but Joyce told The Australian newspaper that the airline was still looking at a range of options for a premium Asian airline, including the city state.
“This will take a bit longer than we originally thought, but we’re still keen to set up a premium airline in Asia and we’re still looking at a range of options available to us -- and Singapore is one of them,” Joyce said.
He added that Qantas was still talking to the Singapore government on the idea.
“We work with them on a range of issues and one of them is keeping the door open to the possibility of a premium airline,” Joyce told the newspaper.
Qantas holds a 65 percent share of the domestic Australian market but has struggled with an under-performing international business.
It is attempting to refocus on Asia, the world’s fast-growing aviation market, and last month announced a new Hong Kong-based budget airline, Jetstar Hong Kong, which it hopes will be in the air in 2013.
But Joyce said that for long-term success Qantas, which has a weak market share in Asia, needed to participate in the premium end of the regional market.
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