A Qantas Dreamliner takes off from Sydney Airport in Sydney, Australia, February 26, 2026. REUTERS
April 1 (Reuters) – Australia’s competition regulator said on Wednesday it has granted interim authorisation to Qantas and American Airlines to continue cooperating on trans-Pacific routes linking Australia and New Zealand with U.S., Canada and Mexico.
The airlines applied to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) on November 24, 2025, seeking approval to extend their joint business and coordinate operations across the routes, the regulator said.
Under the agreement, the carriers have agreed to coordinate on fares, schedules, inventory and other related arrangements, and have sought authorisation for a five-year period.
The ACCC said it expects to provide a final determination in June.
Reporting by Shivangi Lahiri in Bengaluru; Editing by Janane Venkatraman and Sumana Nandy
