On 24 October 2023, Qantas Airways Limited (Qantas) and China Eastern Airlines Corporation Ltd (China Eastern) withdrew their application for:
- revocation of authorisation AA1000526, and
- substitution for a new authorisation AA1000624 for Qantas and China Eastern to coordinate operations between Australia and mainland China under an Extended Joint Coordination Agreement.
On 30 March 2023, the ACCC granted interim authorisation. The interim authorisation enabled the Applicants to continue their coordination while the ACCC assessed their substantive application for revocation and substitution.
On 15 September 2023, the ACCC issued a draft determination proposing to deny authorisation.
Following the parties’ withdrawal of the application for revocation and substitution, the interim authorisation granted on 30 March 2023 is no longer in place.
The parties state they will each honour:
- codeshare bookings on Qantas or China Eastern operated flights made (whether or not ticketed) during the period of past and interim authorisation up to the point of withdrawal
- respective frequent flyer entitlements and lounge access for such booked travel that would have been available to travellers had authorised coordination continued at the time of travel.
Further information about the application for revocation and substitution is available on the ACCC’s authorisations public register.