Irish at helm Down Under

AT A breakfast briefing hosted by The Irish Times in late October, Willie Walsh spoke in private of his high regard for Alan Joyce, the then chief executive-elect of Australian flag carrier Qantas.

We should have realised then that something was in the air, so to speak. Earlier this week British Airways and Qantas announced plans to merge, a deal that has been plotted since August. The pair previously soldiered together at Aer Lingus and Walsh's wife is reported to be a second cousin of Joyce's mother. Ironically, Joyce was offered the chance to replace Walsh at Aer Lingus in 2005.

Whatever the link between the two, they will have a tough time persuading the powers that be Down Under that a merger is in Australia's interest. Opposition politicians have been quick to knock the proposed deal and some national newspapers have questioned if it is in Australia's best interests to give away control of the national airline to a European player.

Analysts have highlighted a lack of obvious synergies - the pair already code share on flights from London to Australia.

Sniffy commentators have asked why a profitable airline like Qantas needs the help of struggling BA, which previously owned 25 per cent of Qantas before dumping the stock in 2004. When the merger talks began, oil was close to its all-time high. It has since dropped in value by about two thirds.

They might like to swap notes with Michael O'Leary, who faces an equally stiff task persuading the non-believers on the merits of a merger with Aer Lingus. As with the Ryanair-Aer Lingus deal, the finer detail of the BA-Qantas link up has yet to be revealed.

Reports suggest Walsh would be the chief executive with Joyce, who has only been in the Qantas hot seat for a matter of days, taking a top position within the merged entity.

What you might call Paddy Power.