Qantas will expand its codeshare relationship with China Eastern Airlines in a bid to attract more corporate customers traveling to Australia’s biggest trading partner. Under the deal, which takes effect from May 1, Qantas will codeshare on China Eastern’s daily Melbourne-Shanghai and thrice weekly Sydney-Nanjing-Beijing services, in addition to the carrier’s domestic Shanghai-Nanjing flights. The

British Airways is said to be close to a major order for Airbus A350 XWB jetliners in what would constitute a big win for Airbus over rival Boeing. The Wall Street Journal reported that BA parent International Consolidated Airlines Group (IAG) was close to finalising the deal, which could be announced this week. The size

Qantas is prepared for the possibility of further 787 delays but has not received formal notification from Boeing that the aircraft slated for delivery later this year will be arriving late. Jetstar is set to receive the first of 14 787-8s under order by the Qantas Group in August. Those aircraft are to replace A330-200s

China Southern’s new A330-200 service was scheduled to arrive in Perth Wednesday after touching down in Brisbane on Tuesday. The fast-growing airline said it was introducing the new aircraft as part of an ongoing program to upgrade its product and services to and from Australia. The new A330s feature flatbed seats in business class and

Embraer has delivered its first US-made Phenom 300 business jet to an undisclosed customer. The Brazilian aircraft maker opened its production facility in Melbourne, Florida, in February 2011 in an effort to expand its customer base in North America. Embraer delivered its first US-built jet — a Phenom 100 — in January 2012. Delivery of

Qantas has sold six times more tickets to Europe under its alliance with Emirates than it did under previous arrangements, a solid return that has fed optimism the carrier’s international operations could return to profitability sooner than expected. “This is the most important deal in Qantas’ 90-plus-year history,” Qantas CEO Alan Joyce told journalists prior