Qantas and Emirates trans-Tasman alliance in the hands of New Zealand's Transport Minister

Qantas and Emirates' global alliance has already been granted interim approval by Australia's competition regulator, but the New Zealand Government is yet to pass judgment on the partnership to be extended across the Tasman.

In Sep-2012 Qantas and Emirates announced a long-anticipated partnership proposal, the first of a world-shaking series of announcements over following weeks, in which the three Gulf airlines, Emirates, Etihad and Qatar Airways, drove a massive wedge in the resistance of their major legacy airline opponents.

Once finally approved, all Qantas group airlines, including Jetstar, will be permitted to share passenger and freight revenues, codeshare and otherwise act almost as one airline.