NSW backs transPacific jv

THE proposed transPacific joint business agreement (JBA) between American Airlines & Qantas being evaluated in Washington DC has received support from the office of the NSW Government.

In a letter to the US Dept of Transportation, NSW Minister for Trade & Industry and Primary Industries Niall Blair said the proposed QF/AA alliance “will strengthen a strategic partnership that will drive trade, enhance investment and promote tourism between NSW and the US”.

“It will benefit consumers and businesses... and serve to strengthen economic and cultural links between us,” he said.

Minister Blair said the United States was one of New South Wales’ top ‘Priority Markets’, and the largest source of foreign direct investment into Australia.

“Your country continues to be a popular destination for tourists from NSW, with more people travelling from NSW to the United States than from anywhere else in Australia.

“Likewise, NSW receives the largest number of visitors from the USA,” Minister Blair added.

He said the tie-up would “unlock substantial customer benefits, and incentivise the development of infrastructure to support the delivery of services to customers”.

The QF/AA JBA will “serve to ensure the collaboration between two emblematic Australian and American carriers, enabling a deeper alignment of services and enable more fruitful collaboration,” Blair concluded.