BA looking for new partner

London

British Airways said it’s seeking a new partner on flights to Asia after Qantas Airways Ltd. terminated an existing alliance to cooperate with Gulf carrier Emirates, the world’s largest airline by international traffic.

A revenue and cost-sharing tie-up between BA and Qantas that has spanned 17 years will end in March as the Australian company seeks to end losses on international routes through an accord with Emirates that will let it add more than 60 one-stop destinations via the Middle Eastern carrier’s hub in Dubai.

Willie Walsh, chief executive officer of International Consolidated Airlines Group SA, BA’s parent, said “the world has changed” since the tie-up with Qantas began in 1995 and that any new arrangement is likely to address the wider Asian market.

“This is a small part of our overall network and this move fits in with changes in our global strategy,” Walsh said in a statement. “Asia has become a key market focus for IAG and we’re talking to a number of airlines about alternative options.”

— Bloomberg