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Victorian regional carrier Sharp Airlines has entered a new interline partnership with Qantas.
The one-way agreement, which began on Monday, will see Qantas customers able to book and connect to flights operated by Sharp to a number of regional locations in Victoria and Tasmania, including to King and Flinders Islands.
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“This Qantas interline agreement represents a significant milestone in the 35-year history of Sharp Airlines. It’s an important step toward expanding travel options for regional communities and supports the growth of local tourism and business operators,” said Sharp Airlines chief executive Alistair Dorward.
“By partnering with Qantas, we’re opening up new opportunities for travellers to reach key regional destinations.”
Passengers will see more integrated ticketing, as well as streamlined planning, between Qantas and Sharp flights via the Qantas booking site, including combined fare offers.
Malcolm Sharp, managing director of Sharp Airlines, also called the partnership a “major step forward for Sharp Airlines and regional aviation”.
“It means easier access, more choice, and better connectivity for the communities we serve. We’re proud to link our regional network with Australia’s national carrier and give our passengers the opportunity to travel further with greater convenience,” he said.
“It’s a strong endorsement of the vital role regional airlines play in keeping Australia connected.”
According to Rachel Yangoyan, CEO of QantasLink, the deal is part of a “shared commitment” to regional accessibility.
“This interline agreement reflects our ongoing commitment to regional Australia and will expand access to some of the country’s most unique and remote destinations, while strengthening connections for regional travellers to Qantas’ extensive domestic and international network,” she said.
Sharp Airlines has long butted heads with QantasLink’s main rival, Rex, accusing the airline in 2020 of uncompetitively muscling in on a route between Wynyard and King Island in Tasmania.
Shortly before Rex entered administration last year, Sharp said the carrier used “aggressive fare pricing and tactics” against smaller operators like itself, noting that “this type of behaviour has obviously been unsustainable for Rex”.
“During COVID, Rex was a major beneficiary of the $100m Regional Airlines Funding Assistance (‘last resort’ funding), following which it then entered the East Coast domestic market with its Boeing 737 operation,” the airline said.
“We understand it’s like ‘shooting Bambi’ but the Government also needs to understand that we operate in a free economy and to prop up one operator at the expense of another creates an unlevel playing field and is simply bad economics.
“To be clear, Sharp Airlines is not asking for assistance, as we have a well-established and successful business, but we are just asking the Albanese Government for a fair go.”
Sharp currently operates 23 Metroliner aircraft on passenger, freight, and FIFO services in five states, with bases in Adelaide, Brisbane, Launceston, Melbourne (Essendon), and Perth.
