If unable to resolve union problems, analysts warn Australian airlines Qantas will being losing up to $10 million a week as it surrenders premium business customers to Virgin Australia. Virgin has profited after Qantas declared on Wednesday that it would ground five aircraft and withdraw 97 services next week. Virgin has scheduled extra flights and will bring two bigger aircraft into service. It is also contacting alliance partners Air New Zealand and Etihad to see if they can provide extra aircraft. The move came as Virgin won preliminary approval from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission for its international partnership with Singapore Airlines. The airline will also rush one of its new Boeing 737-800s into service a month early, from Monday week. BM
