When Macquarie Equities allows itself to be reported as saying Malaysia Airlines would be ‘a better fit’ for Qantas, and the general media breaks out in a sweat over a fictitious story in a Kuala Lumpur newspaper that Jetstar is discussing a merger with AirAsia it means that the silly season for Qantas merger fantasy [...]
Tag Archives: mergers & acquisitions
Delta’s Pacific tsunami may drive defensive mergers
December 19, 2008 – 4:45 pm
The competitive tsunami caused by Delta Air Lines entering the Australia-US air travel market may drive defensive consolidation counter measures by Qantas, Virgin Blue and Air New Zealand.
The Australian carriers were keeping their cards close to their chests today, but the mood is unmistakable.
They cannot afford to be smashed by the entry of the new [...]
Qantas-BA=Why not have another crack at Air New Zealand?
December 19, 2008 – 7:02 am
Now that Qantas+ BA has become Qantas-BA, what might be the next step?
The failure of the merger talks “at this point in time” to quote the Qantas statement is no surprise. There wasn’t a single analyst of adult age who believed it would work.
But given that Qantas is unlikely to stop scoping deals in [...]
Qantas puts Joyce under observation
December 8, 2008 – 1:46 pm
The QF+BA circus performs its next act in Sydney this afternoon.
At short notice the media has been invited to ‘observe’ new CEO Alan Joyce make his first major speech in that role to an Australia-Israel Chamber of Commerce luncheon in the Sydney offices of law firm Blake Dawson.
A Qantas spokesperson confirmed that ‘observe’ meant no [...]
QF+BA ‘benefits’ defy reality
December 4, 2008 – 7:52 am
The spinning of the claimed benefits of a QF+BA merger seems to be approaching ‘warp’ speed, with the merger Trekkies in full chant.
It is said that the combined entity will have better buying power. That it will save money on maintenance, cabin fit outs and on marketing!
Let’s start with maintenance. How can Qantas save even [...]
QF+BA, where is the public benefit?
December 3, 2008 – 3:44 pm
It is difficult from a consumer perspective to see any potential benefit for travellers in the proposed but as yet imprecisely detailed merger ‘of equals’ between Qantas and British Airways.
Qantas isn’t discussing the proposal, so it is unable to help find them at this stage.
All that the much vaunted Joint Services Agreement that currently exists [...]
Some critical QF+BA issues
December 3, 2008 – 9:41 am
One party always comes out on top in a merger, even one between ‘equals’ which is the phrase being spun into the media by Qantas and BA.
Just listen to any of those who were in Qantas when it merged with Australian Airlines prior to the sale of 25% of the new entity to BA in [...]
QF+BA piles more pressure onto Singapore Airlines
December 3, 2008 – 7:08 am
The possibility of a QF+BA merger adds immense pressure onto Singapore Airlines, and its majority shareholder, Temasek Holdings, to execute an effective strategy to participate in airline consolidation.
But the most pressure on them comes from recent earlier news that Abu Dhabi wants to control Dubai based airline giant Emirates as part of the price for [...]
What QF+BA might mean to sky warriors
December 3, 2008 – 5:31 am
At first glance a merger of Qantas and British Airways might fill their frequent fliers with dread.
BA is infamously good at loosing luggage and QF can’t keep its jets fully maintained, or clean, or punctual.
Perfect. A marriage made in hell. The most vivid images of the BA experience in recent years have been of rubbish [...]
Lufthansa & the Virgins, will they make love or war?
October 30, 2008 – 12:27 pm
An intensely interesting situation has arisen in Europe after Lufthansa assumed outright control of UK carrier bmi after chairman Sir Michael Bishop exercised a £318 million option to sell them his stake, lifting the German carrier’s equity to 80%.
Sir Richard Branson, who shares Virgin Atlantic 51:49 with the less than thrilled owners of Singapore Airlines, [...]
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