Subsidy slayer

Emirates comes out punching on subsidies

The recent ‘made in heaven’ marriage between Virgin Australia and Etihad has swung the spotlight well and truly on two reluctant partners — Qantas and Emirates.

While most of the media and analysts have the two walking down the aisle at some stage, both are playing coy, at least publicly. And the public debate also is moving once again to the alleged subsidies of Emirates, which is now the world’s largest international airline as measured by revenue passenger kilometres (RPKs).