Skift Take
International competitors are intimidated by Gulf airlines on their own and continue to block their traffic rights, so one can only imagine the industry’s reaction to the merger that would have put airlines over the edge.
Qatar Airways CEO Akbar al Baker, speaking at the Arab Air Carriers Organization annual meeting in Algiers, said he “considered joining Emirates [Airline] to create a mega-carrier” before being invited to join the Oneworld alliance.
Al Baker said the two airlines would have been able to take advantage of “so many synergies,” while operating networks that were at least partially complementary.
Jet Stream Newsletter
Airline news moves fast. Don’t miss a beat with our weekly airline newsletter. Landing in your inbox every Saturday.
Have a confidential tip for Skift? Get in touch
Tags: alliances, emirates air, oneworld, qatar airways
Photo credit: A Qatar Airways flight takes off at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Jakarta. Luke Ma / Flickr.com