Australian carrier Qantas may be adding new routes and reorganising its network in order to regain its former market share.

The news came from Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce, who said on the 3rd of February that he had commissioned some 20 individuals to look at ‘all options’ in order for the carrier to regain portions of the market that it had lost to its top rivals Virgin Blue and Emirates.

Mr Joyce said among such changes could include the addition of new long-haul routes, which would be underpinned by a number of Airbus A380s that will soon be delivered. A new alliance that would resemble that of Virgin Blue and Etihad Airways may also be in the works, which would help the Sydney based carrier continue to expand whilst still keeping an eye on costs.

Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation consultant Peter Harbison said however that Qantas doesn’t have a lot of options, since Australia is a relatively small market- consisting of just 22 million people- at the far end of the world.  He said that the key for its future lays in establishing a good relationship with another carrier.

The news comes after figures showed that Qantas’ long-haul international traffic dropped by about 8% in the 12 months leading up to June of last year, leaving it with only about 20% of the total market share. Government data showed that in 2000 it had held about 35%.