Air traffic on the Qantas-dominated Australia-North America route could almost quadruple over the next 20 years, but only if the green light is given for more competition between the two countries, according to Boeing’s head of sales, Randy Tinseth.
The aircraft maker says air traffic on the route could grow at an annual rate of seven per cent until 2026, outstripping even the annual 6.2 per cent growth between the US and the Asia-Pacific, the world’s fastest growing aviation market.
This will depend on the ‘open skies’ talks that are due to take place between North America and Australia after Australia’s federal election.
Currently, Qantas controls 80 per cent of the market between Australia and the US, which to a large extent is concentrated on the Sydney-Los Angeles route. Singapore Airlines among others has persistently pushed for an opening up of this lucrative route arguing it is in passengers’ interest to do so.