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Costello backs Emirates push for more flights
Treasurer Peter Costello said yesterday that provided Emirates helped Qantas win reciprocal landing rights on its routes, Emirates would get permission for more flights to Australia.
“I think, subject to Qantas getting reciprocal landing rights on routes that Emirates controls, Emirates should get landing rights and be able to provide a service to the (Australian) public,” Mr Costello said.
“If they give equivalence of treatment to Australian airlines, and that means Qantas, then they can expect opportunities in our market.”
Qantas has been lobbying heavily in Canberra against an Emirates proposal that would effectively double the carrier’s landing rights in Australia to 16 flights a day by 2014.
The chief executive of the United Arab Emirates-based airline, Tim Clark, was in Australia late last month to lobby federal transport officials and push the proposal.
Greater access to the Australian market by Emirates would require high-level discussions between governments to reopen the bilateral aviation agreement that sets the number of flights between the two countries.
Qantas argues that it faces a significant disadvantage competing against airlines such as Emirates, which have a different ownership structure, better tax treatment and discounts on key costs such as fuel.
Graham Muldoon
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