Bye-bye BA, hello MAS
SYDNEY – Australian carrier Qantas remains open to airline mergers, especially in Asia, after talks with British Airways failed, a source familiar with Qantas’s plans yesterday.
Qantas and BA earlier called off talks for a merger, citing disagreement on key terms.
Qantas declined further comment, but BA said it could not agree to the Australian airline owning more than 50 percent of the merged entity.
The source told Reuters that Qantas was not in any active talks after the demise of the BA negotiations but saw potential benefits from merging with an Asian airline.
Earlier this week, Malaysia Airlines said it was in talks with a number of airlines, including Qantas, on possible partnerships amid the global economic downturn.
“This ranges from joint ventures and code shares to interlining partnerships,” said MAs managing director and CEO, Idris Jala.
Malaysia’s finance minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak told local media that the government was agreeable to a cooperative agreement between Malaysia Airlines and Qantas “if it leads to a win-win situationâ€.
“We are nationalists and we are nationalistic, but we should not be xenophobic in the sense that we cannot look in terms of how foreigners can add value to the company and to the country,†Najib said.
“Present conditions in the world (tell) us to be creative and innovative.â€
Ian Jarrett
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
CCS Insight: eSIMs ready to take the travel world by storm
Germany new European Entry/Exit System limited to a single airport on October 12, 2025
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Air Mauritius reduces frequencies to Europe and Asia for the holiday season