Qantas hogs Oz-India route

13 April 2012

BRITISH Airways' Australian partner Qantas appears to have scuppered plans for a low-cost airline targeted at backpackers to fly between Manchester and Melbourne via New Delhi.

The International Air Services Commission has granted Qantas all available capacity on the India-Australia route, saying Brisbane-based Backpackers Xpress was 'not reasonably capable of implementing its application at this stage'.

There are just 2,100 seats a week available on the India-Australia route and the regulator ruled that the allocation should remain entirely with Qantas.

'The commission is aware that allocating all the India capacity to Qantas closes off the possibility of Backpackers Xpress operating via Delhi as proposed, at least until additional capacity is negotiated under the air services arrangements,' the commission said.

Air France-KLM passengers soar

NEWLY-merged Air France-KLM's passenger numbers rose by 21.3% in May and its flights were 76.3% full, driven by a surge in long-haul travel.

The airline said the recent fatal collapse of a terminal walkway at Paris Charles de Gaulle airport would not affect its summer flights schedule.

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