09 April 2021: Virgin Australia has welcomed the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) final determination in favour of the partnership between Virgin Australia and Alliance Airlines.

The partnership will give Virgin Australia and Alliance Airlines the ability to explore options to coordinate operations in relation to services on several regional and short-haul international routes.

Virgin Australia General Manager Network and Alliances Jim Fuoco said the final determination provides a platform for Virgin and Alliance to support regional air services and communities with access to more affordable air travel.

“We recognise our role in providing regional communities with choice and convenience, and through this partnership, we’ll be able to look at new ways to bring more competition on regional routes as the domestic travel market recovers from COVID-19,” said Mr Fuoco.

“The partnership gives us the flexibility to coordinate and determine pricing, capacity and scheduling with Alliance, as well as the ability to better manage demand and ensure we’re flying the right aircraft on the right route.”

Under the partnership, Virgin Australia will work with Alliance on opportunities to expand its regional footprint which will enable the potential redeployment of B737 aircraft to higher-density routes across the airline’s domestic network.

The ACCC has granted the authorisation until 31 March 2023.