Interesting to read the local take on this over here in the sand pit. The local papers don't seem to hold the Qantas position in all this as being particularly strong...more a case of a dog with its tail between its legs
Would be great to see Qantas in this part of the world though!
These quotes from a local paper here in Dubai on the wekend:
“Given the poor state of affairs at Qantas, the airline is effectively now forced to join up with Emirates, its one-time adversary, as the ailing Australian carrier battles to survive,” Saj Ahmad, chief analyst at London-based StrategicAero Research, told Khaleej Times.
.“As Qantas deferring A380s and cancelling 35 787-9s, there’s simply no way they can grow with a small 747-400 fleet and just a dozen A380s when compared to the hundreds of wide-bodied 777s and A380s that Emirates has at its disposal.
And this says it all about local perceptions here and their thoughts on what Qantas has to offer.
Had Qantas bothered to get its house in order beforehand, it could have got a better deal with its Arabian rival,” Ahmad concluded.
Cheers