QANTAS Airways is on the verge of an alliance with Emirates that will see the majority of its London-bound services routed through Dubai instead of Singapore, according to a report by the Australian Financial Review.

The proposed partnership between Qantas and Emirates is part of the Australian flag carrier's efforts to turn around its loss-making international business, which was separated from its domestic arm on July 1 (TTG Asia e-Daily, May 22, 2012).

The two airlines are reportedly in advanced negotiations over a codeshare deal that will see Qantas launch inaugural flights to Dubai, and rely on Emirates to faciliate onward connections to destinations across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

The alliance with Emirates would signal the end of Qantas’s long-standing arrangement with British Airways on the Kangaroo Route  to  London and into Europe, the report added.