Qantas and Emirates given green light to continue flight coordination

Australia's competition watchdog has given the green light to Qantas and Emirates to continue coordinating both cargo and passenger flights for another five years.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) granted authorisation to the airlines to continue their operations until 2028, saying that the partnership will give passengers more choice.

Combined, the networks of both airlines cover routes between Australia, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa.

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ACCC Commissioner Anna Brakey said the partnership will help passengers double down on earning loyalty points.

"Passengers travelling on routes where Qantas and Emirates provide overlapping services will have greater choice of flight times and travel options," she said.

"We think this continual coordination will benefit travellers by facilitating connectivity between a wide range of destinations as well as optimising earning and redemption opportunities from their respective loyalty rewards programs."

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Despite the watchdog's blessing for the partnership to continue, concerns were raised around competition on the key Sydney to Christchurch route, which is currently only serviced by another airline in Air New Zealand.

"We have granted authorisation with a condition that Qantas and Emirates must provide regular updates on passenger revenue and operating costs to enable us to monitor competition on this route over the next five years," Brakey said.