Qantas deal must take off this month or we're out - Fyfe
09 April 2006
By TIM HUNTER
Air New Zealand aims to conclude a trans-Tasman deal with Qantas this month or it will walk away from talks, says chief executive Rob Fyfe.
Speculation about a renewed link emerged on March 30, but no details have been confirmed. Code-sharing on trans-Tasman flights, enabling the airlines to sell tickets on each other's aircraft, is thought a likely goal.
"We have five services a day flying Auckland to Sydney," Fyfe told the Sunday Star-Times. "So does Qantas. We typically fly at the same times - wingtip to wingtip. Our aircraft are typically 60-70% full.
"If we pooled our aircraft and rather than flying five times each, we (together) flew eight times a day, we've created a customer benefit - eight flights rather than five flights a day - and the airlines are flying two fewer flights a day, which reduces costs so there are better profits or improved pricing to the customer."
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