Australia's competition watchdog said on Friday it had given its interim approval for Virgin Australia [IPO-VIR.AX] to start selling Qatar Airways-operated flights between Doha and four capital cities in Australia.

Virgin Australia is edging closer to resuming long-haul international flights, although it will be with Qatar Airways aircraft and crews.

Giving the Middle Eastern airline extra landing rights would make life even more difficult for Qantas, which faces delays getting new planes and a hefty capex bill.

Virgin Australia can start selling tickets for new Qatar Airways-operated flights between Doha and four Australian capital cities following an interim approval by the country's competition watchdog on Friday.

Australian competition watchdog allows for the marketing of flights, even though it is yet to give final approval to Qatar Airways’ 25% stake acquisition

Virgin Australia’s alliance with Qatar Airways won’t negatively impact most partnerships or frequent flyer benefits. Existing partnerships with airlines like Singapore Airlines and South African Airways remain unchanged. The alliance aims to increase flight capacity and potentially lower fares.

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Australia’s aviation landscape is poised for a significant transformation as the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) announced on Friday that it has granted Virgin Australia and Qatar Airways interim approval to operate an integrated alliance.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has granted interim approval for a partnership between Qatar Airways and Virgin Australia, which allows them to sell long-haul return flights starting in June 2025.