SYDNEY — Australia again ruled out opening up Qantas' coveted trans-Pacific route, quashing rumours that rival carriers might gain access once the "Flying Kangaroo" is taken over by a private equity group. Transport Minister Mark Vaile said the flag-carrier's lucrative Sydney-to-Los Angeles route would remain off limits for several years to airlines other than Qantas and Australian discount flyer Virgin Blue.
"It would be a number of years before we revisit that," Mr Vaile told The Australian newspaper.
His comments followed speculation that Canberra might revise its Feb 2006 decision to bar rival carriers from the route after the Qantas board last month accepted an A$11-billion ($13.2-billion) takeover bid.
Qantas earns as much as 20 per cent of its profits from the trans-Pacific route and the government cited it as a "key national asset".
Singapore Airlines has campaigned for more than a decade for access while the Singapore government pressed for an "open skies" deal as part of the free trade agreement that the two countries signed in 2003.
Mr Vaile said that he was committed to allowing Virgin Blue to launch flights to the United States from the middle of 2008 without extra competition. — AFP
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