CCCS Consults on Proposed Air Cargo Agreement

Singapore CCCS Media Releases

Published January 23rd, 2026

Detected March 24th, 2026

Summary

The Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCCS) is seeking public feedback on a proposed joint business agreement between Qatar Airways, IAG Cargo, and MAB Kargo. The agreement aims to allow cooperation on scheduling, pricing, sales, and marketing for air cargo services across multiple continents.

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What changed

The Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCCS) has opened a public consultation period regarding a proposed joint business agreement between Qatar Airways Group (QR), IAG Cargo Limited (IAGC), and MAB Kargo Sdn. Bhd. (MABK). The application, accepted on January 16, 2026, seeks a decision on whether this agreement infringes Section 34 of the Competition Act 2004. The parties propose to cooperate on scheduling, pricing, sales, and marketing to achieve metal neutrality for air cargo transportation services across Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and the Americas, citing potential consumer and economic benefits.

CCCS is inviting feedback from the public until February 25, 2026, specifically on the potential impact of this agreement on competition. Interested parties can submit their views through the official online form or via email. Confidential information submissions require a non-confidential version. This consultation is a crucial step in the regulatory review process, and feedback will inform CCCS's final decision on the proposed joint business agreement.

What to do next

Submit feedback on the proposed air cargo agreement by February 25, 2026
Review the potential competitive impact of the joint business agreement

Source document (simplified)

Announcements

CCS Consults on the Proposed Air Cargo Agreement between Qatar Airways, IAG Cargo and MAB Kargo

23 January 2026

1. The Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (“ CCS ”) is inviting public feedback on the proposed joint business agreement between Qatar Airways Group Q.C.S.C (“ QR ”), IAG Cargo Limited (“ IAGC ”) and MAB Kargo Sdn. Bhd. (“ MABK ”) (collectively, the “ Parties ”) (the “ Proposed JB Agreement ”).

2. CCS accepted the application from the Parties on 16 January 2026 for a decision on whether the Proposed JB Agreement would infringe section 34 of the Competition Act 2004.

The Parties

3. QR is a global aviation organisation, with its headquarters in Doha, Qatar. Besides offering passenger transport services, QR provides air cargo services utilising both its own freighter aircraft and belly-hold capacity on its passenger aircraft. QR also operates air freight offices and ground handling services.

IAGC

4. IAGC is a wholly owned subsidiary of International Consolidated Airlines Group S.A (“ IAG ”). IAG is a multinational airline holding company that incorporates British Airways Plc, Aer Lingus Limited, Iberia Líneas Aéreas de España, Vueling Airlines and Fly Level Barcelona LH, S.L. IAGC also operates air freight offices and ground handling services.

MABK

5. MABK is the cargo arm and wholly owned subsidiary of Malaysia Aviation Group Berhad. MABK offers a range of services in the air logistics trade, including scheduled and chartered air cargo services, ground handling services as well as airport to seaport cargo logistics via ground transportation.

Proposed JB Agreement

6. The Parties have submitted that the Proposed JB Agreement will allow them to cooperate on scheduling, pricing, sales and marketing, and other commercial activities with a view to achieving metal neutrality [1] for air cargo transportation services across Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and Americas routes, generating significant consumer and economic benefits and efficiencies.

Public Consultation

7. CCS is inviting public feedback on the Proposed JB Agreement from 23 January 2026 to 5.00pm on 25 February 2026. CCS is interested to hear views on the impact of the Proposed JB Agreement on competition. Public feedback can be provided via the official online form, or by emailing us at CCS_consultation@ccs.gov.sg. If the submission or correspondence contains confidential information, please also provide CCS with a non-confidential version of the submission or correspondence.

8. More information on the public consultation can be accessed and downloaded from the CCS website at www.ccs.gov.sg under the section “ Public Consultation ”.

[1] An airlines agreement that results in metal neutrality is a cooperative airline arrangement where partners jointly manage capacity and pricing whilst sharing profits equally, making them indifferent to which airline's plane or “metal” carries the cargo.