Star Alliance in talks to lease space from Sydney Airports
ref:
http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/mon...33165,00.html?
SYDNEY -
Sydney Airports said the Star Alliance group of carriers, which includes Singapore Airlines (SIA), is interested in leasing terminal space, the prelude to any move to start the nation's third domestic carrier.
Sydney Airports is to consider as soon as this week which company will take the space formerly occupied by failed Ansett Holdings.
Australia's Sunday Telegraph said yesterday that investors backed by SIA will begin an Australian domestic carrier that may be flying as soon as December.
'We've had discussions with a group representing the Star Alliance,' said Mr Peter Gibbs, a spokesman for Sydney Airports.
SIA has been interested in expanding in Australia since last year's failure of Ansett, formerly Australia's No 2 carrier, deprived it of a partner to offer domestic flights in the country. The Singapore carrier owned a quarter of Ansett's parent, Air New Zealand.
The Star Alliance is a group of carriers that share space on each other's flights.
The collapse of Ansett has hampered the group's ability to offer connecting flights within Australia and compete with rival Oneworld, consisting of Qantas and British Airways.
SIA spokesman Stephen Forshaw yesterday repeated earlier statements that the carrier 'is keeping its options open' in Australia. --Bloomberg News
Linear Mode
