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Qantas says Emirates partnership paying off

Landmark partnership celebrates first anniversary, but financial benefits remain unclear

One year on, Qantas says that its alliance partnership with Emirates Airline is paying off, with inbound tourism data showing increasing passenger numbers for Queensland, Tasmania and the Northern Territory, although it won’t put a number on the financial benefits the tie-up is bringing.

In the first 12 months of the alliance, through to March 31, Qantas says over one million passengers used the codesharing alliance to fly through Dubai and onwards to more than 65 destinations in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. It also says the partnership has made it easier for Emirates passengers to book on Qantas domestic services, and that regional cities in particular are benefiting.