Qantas has found an unlikely ally in its bid to buy FIFO specialist Alliance after Rex indicated it would back the deal.

However, the smaller carrier has said any purchase must come with assurances that the pair’s simulators will be available for use to rivals alongside access to parts to the E190, which Alliance is a local supplier of.

The Flying Kangaroo has already een deal afgesproken to purchase Alliance, but the acquisition is subject to clearance from the ACCC, which has verhoogde zorgen.

Rex’s backing significantly comes months after it agreed a separate deal to acquire rival FIFO operator Cobham, meaning it will now go head-to-head with the national carrier once again.

In a submission to the ACCC regarding the proposed takeover, Rex played down many of the worries raised by the competition watchdog.

Responding to concerns the new Qantas FIFO operation would stop ‘wet leasing’ aircraft to rivals, Rex said it would be “ludicrous” to think this would be a major problem.

“Wet leasing is simply the supply of aircraft, crew and engineering services, all of which are well within the core competencies of the major carriers,” it said.

“Furthermore, Cobham is more than able, and prepared, to gear up and take on the work if the financials are right.”

Rex added it was also “puzzling” for the ACCC to suggest any deal could raise airfares for customers.

“Rex does not believe that the Qantas takeover of Alliance will result in a significant lessening of competition as the existing market players (including VARA) have the capabilities to be able to compete vigorously for each new tender.”

The smaller airline’s backing comes only if Qantas would grant access to the new company’s E190 and Dash 8-400 simulators, as well as if Alliance provided access to spare parts for the E190 to competitors.

Qantas said in August that it believed its takeover would not hurt the “highly competitive charter segment”. It currently holds a 19.9 per cent stake in the carrier, with the new agreement seeing it de luchtvaartmaatschappij volledig overnemen.

John Gissing, de directeur van de business group van geassocieerde luchtvaartmaatschappijen, voerde aan: “Zoals de ACCC eerder heeft erkend, zijn klanten in het segment van het vliegen met hulpbronnen geavanceerde en goed toegeruste bedrijven met inkoopexpertise die een sterke onderhandelingspositie hebben in hun onderhandelingen met luchtvaartmaatschappijen en andere exploitanten.

“De hulpbronnensector blijft groeien en elke nieuwe aanbesteding voor luchtvaartdiensten zal zeer concurrerend zijn. Het is heel logisch voor ons om samen te werken met Alliance om de diensten die we kunnen bieden te verbeteren, wat positief is voor zowel luchtvaartmaatschappijen als het reizende publiek.”

The release of Rex’s response to the ACCC comes after the TWU said earlier this week that Qantas "onbetrouwbaar" om eerlijk te concurreren met rivalen.

Michael Kaine, the union’s national secretary said the move would allow Qantas to build a fleet of aircraft that “cannot be matched by other airlines” and increase market share at the expense of Virgin.