Emirates mum on alliance talks

Qatar Airways CEO, Akbar Al Baker, confirmed the carrier is keen on an alliance with Dubai flagship carrier, Emirates.

When quizzed, Al Baker said: “An Emirates alliance? Yes, why not. I think this was my vision long time ago. We have a very close relationship on the management level between Qatar Airways and Emirates.

“It would be a pleasure for both of us to put hand in hand. Together, we could make a formidable force in the aviation industry.”

Al Baker, however, refused to label any future deal, saying: “There are many ways to do business. We have a huge potential together.”

When Emirates 24|7 asked Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President, CEO and Chairman, Department of Civil Aviation, Emirates Group and Chairman, Dubai World, he declined to comment on an alliance with Qatar Airways, adding: “We are always talking.”

Earlier, Emirates President Tim Clark had deemed an alliance between the two carriers “highly unlikely”, however, post the Emirates-Qantas Airways partnership, he was quoted on the site as saying: “We’ll act on any opportunity where we see the partnership adding value. We can look at any partnership where the airlines' chemistry matches similar to the deal signed with Qantas. Anything is possible.”

The Doha-based Qatar Airways became a member of the One World Alliance last year, which will be integrated later this year.

Talking about the deal in face of Mideast carriers, Al Baker said: “I believe Emirates and Qantas is an alliance. Etihad Airways and Air Berlin, and now Jet Airways is an alliance. They may not much be intervention, but is a kind of alliance between these carriers.

“Most of the airlines around the globe will be part of an alliance at certain time is my belief.”

Next year, Qatar Airways is also branching out to operate domestic Saudi Arabian flights with a different name, which will not operate under the airline flag, with hubs in Riyadh and Jeddah.

Al Baker added: “We will expand after that. It will work as a domestic carrier and maybe at a later date, fly international with a Saudi partner.”

The carrier will start with 10 narrow body aircraft.

Qatar Airways also confirmed as of April they have underperformed by $200m in their revenue budget with the Boeing 787 Dreamliner delays, adding: “We won’t cancel any Dreamliner order. We may order more. We have purchase rights of 30 more aircraft on the 30 we have, on which we will firm options.”

He added that they were looking at 10-15 A330s before the airshow next month, with a possible increase on the 10 A380s they currently have.

Speaking about the possibility of a low cost carrier in the near future, Al Baker added: “There are no plans for a low cost carrier; we are going to operate full service airline. If we get impacted by low cost, that is the time we will launch. We are not getting impacted for the time being.”

Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.