Qantas alliance takes wing on upbeat note WHEN two Airbus A380s roar past the Sydney Opera House tomorrow in what could well be a world-first fly-past, they will kick off two days of hard sell aimed at ensuring the world knows the Qantas-Emirates alliance is finally here. The first aircraft will take off for Dubai with a heavy load of journalists to chronicle the start of the partnership hailed by Emirates president Tim Clark as a "game changer" and by Qantas boss Alan Joyce as his airline's most significant partnership ever.