Following Qantas’s application seeking interim authorisation for the continuation for its codeshare with SAA, the International Air Services Commission in Australia has granted a preliminary extension until March 31. The codeshare was due to come to an end on December 31.

The extension is granted on the following conditions:

•    Any amendments to the codeshare agreement or to the commercial agreement must be approved by the Commission.
•    Qantas must not share or pool revenues under any such agreement.
•    Qantas and SAA must price and sell their services on the route independently.
•    Qantas and SAA must withdraw from all Iata tariff co-ordination activities in relation to airfare levels between Australia and South Africa.
•    Nothing in this decision exempts Qantas from complying with the Australian Consumer Law and Qantas is required to take all reasonable steps to ensure that passengers are informed, at the time of booking, of the carrier actually operating the flight.
•    The approval will remain in effect only while Qantas and SAA together operate at least 10 return services a week on the South Africa route.
•    Qantas must submit reports to the Commission each quarter on the number of codeshare seats available for sale and sold by it on each of SAA's operated services and by SAA on each of Qantas's operated services; and its quarterly yields per revenue passenger classes on these services.

Earlier this month, Qantas also re-submitted an application to codeshare with SAA until March 31 2016, which is yet to be approved by the IASC.