New Darwin routes from SilkAir and Virgin Australia show potential of alliances

As alliances have become more complex, and perhaps seemingly anti-competitive, airlines have been eager to promote any new route additions as direct results of alliance authorisation. Recent examples include Japan Airlines (JAL) opening the first Tokyo link to Boston - and with the Boeing 787 - and attributing it in part to its alliance with American Airlines while All Nippon Airways (ANA) will open a 787 link to San Jose, which the carrier also attributed to its alliance partner, United. In contrast to the glamour of these long-haul routes with high profile aircraft are the new Darwin-Sydney and Darwin-Singapore routes to be respectively started by recent partners Virgin Australia and SilkAir, the subsidiary (subsidiary!) of Singapore Airlines (SIA). Yet what the routes lack in public visibility they make up for in opportunity.