ACCC approves Qantas Asia move Qantas and its budget airline Jetstar have been given the go-ahead by the competition watchdog to integrate its operations with four Asia-based Jetstar joint ventures. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) authorised Qantas to coordinate with Jetstar's operations in Singapore, Vietnam, Japan and Hong Kong on passenger and cargo services, the regulator said in a statement this morning. "The ACCC considers that the coordination is likely to result in benefits to consumers by increasing the likelihood of additional Jetstar flights and destinations in Asia, and providing improved connections for consumers which will result in a better overall travel experience," the chairman of the ACCC, Rod Sims, said. Mr Sims added that the coordination would be unlikely to result in any detriment. "More important, in most instances where overlap does occur, there are multiple competitors present," he said. But the authorisation does not extend to coordination between the airline owners, the ACCC said. The watchdog have approved the operational integration in a draft ruling in December, following an application by Qantas in June.