Australian Watchdog Blocks Qantas Airline Acquisition Of Alliance

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission denied Qantas’ request for a meeting, following the watchdog’s decision to reject the airline’s bid to acquire Alliance Aviation, a private charter flight provider.

The ACCC chair, Gina Cass-Gottlieb, announced on Thursday that the watchdog would object to Qantas’ proposed acquisition. The decision was based on an investigation that concluded that the acquisition would result in decreased competition, increased flight prices, and reduced service quality for resource industry customers in Western Australia and Queensland.

Read more: Qantas To Buy Alliance Airlines Despite Watchdog Warnings

Cass-Gottlieb confirmed that the ACCC had been contacted by Qantas regarding a meeting to discuss their concerns over anti-competition issues related to the decision.

“We’re waiting to see, firstly, the separate commercial decisions of the parties when they’ve considered the decision, so the ball’s in their court,” she said.

“We’ve asked them to take time to consider the decision and to hear what their individual commercial decision is here. Once we hear that, we’ll then consider that request.”

Cass-Gottlieb said the ACCC had blocked the acquisition because Alliance served as an important competitor to Qantas for fly-in fly-out workers and charter services in Western Australia and Queensland.