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Which if true would leave some questions. Would Virgin take up the 'mantle' and operate through SIN? Does the aviation industry recognise that Virgin is the national flag carrier? How would BA"s traffic be affected on SIN, BKK and possibly KUL terminators? Have Emirates got the route well and truly sown up? Their next goal surely would be the Pacific? If so then they have the world sown up."
Unlikely that VS would do LHR-SIN-SYD as already going via HKG. If BA could not sustain a daily flight to SYD, it seems highly unlikely that VS could do 2.
In addition to LHR-SIN-SYD, BA already has 1 terminator each to SIN and BKK, both of which used to continue to Australia, from BKK to SYD and from SIN to MEL, so this would probably continue. BA are no longer on LHR-KUL, but this could change.
It appears that EK gets more out of the JSA than QF. However, EK's strategy only works where governments permit "open skies" type arrangements.
There are 25 daily flights between the UK and the UAE, 21 on UAE carriers and 4 on UK carriers, giving UAE carriers the advantage.
If, for example, the current arrangements between the UK and the UAE were to end, and a more Canadian or French style prevailed, the impact on EK and EY would be far greater than on BA or VS. Not suggesting that this WILL ever happen, of course. If India, Pakistan, Australia, New Zealand and some other countries followed suit, EK's ability to "
have the world sown up" would be severely hampered.
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BA cannot offer SIN-SYD? It seems fifth freedom rights are missing....."
BA has fifth freedom rights on SIN-SYD and BKK-SYD, and
AFAIK, VS has HKG-SYD.
QF has fifth freedom rights on SIN-LHR and BKK-LHR, and
AFAIK, HKG-LHR.
At present not all are being used by all carriers.