Emirates' senior vice-president of commercial operations for East Asia and Australasia, Richard Vaughan, said this week that the airline would lobby to increase its access to Australia with the eventual aim of doubling its flights to 98 a week.
The Dubai carrier will argue that Australia is under-served on European routes with Qantas flying to just London and Frankfurt and British Airways downgrading its presence.
It is about to sign a promotional deal with Tourism Australia aimed at German tourists and will also contend more should be done to promote the in-bound market from Europe.
Mr Vaughan said Emirates had proven it was bringing tourists into the country and its decision to set up a resort here showed it was serious about Australia in the long term. He said the carrier's growing number of European destinations provided the opportunity for one-stop services to Australia.
"The demand in Europe is huge," he said. "With Qantas's lack of schedules, coming in from just London and Frankfurt, promotion to Australia is just not as good as it should be."
But Qantas will push a argument like the one it used against Singapore Airlines: that Australia should not give away rights without receiving something in return.
Qantas chief financial officer Peter Gregg said this meant more rights into Europe for Australian carriers.
"Their (Emirates') attitude - that just because they've got more rights into Europe, they should be given more rights into Australia - just doesn't work," Mr Gregg said yesterday.
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