Stunning photos, video as Qantas, Emirates A380s fly over Sydney Harbour

Indeed, and then east on the way back.

As has been said before, approval was needed from regulatory bodies before coordination on air fares. See below from businessspectator:

Emirates president Tim Clark said the two carriers have only just started the process of aligning fares, following Australian Competition and Consumer Commission approval.

"We have only just got the approval to actually start aligning fares," Mr Clark said.

"We couldn't even contemplate that beforehand." (1.04.2013)

As stated previously, I wouldn't be suprised if EK's fares rise a little and QF's go down... but that is pure speculation. There is a bundle of competition around at the moment, so pricing will need to be competitive.

So if you really want too, do a comparison again in two weeks and no doubt the pricing will have the same differential. I'm sure going through the process of streamlining pricing (amongst other things) will take some time... maybe even months. In the meantime book with another airline like EK or SQ if one stop is important.

Aligning Fares is a corporate excuse.

The easiest way to aligh fare is to make it the same as you get it.

Qantas made a conscious decision to jack the price up

I would suggest it is way more complex than it seems...

Emirates and Qantas have not gone through several regulatory processes (with NZ still to come) for the fun of it. It is required so that amongst other things, that can work together to price.

An example, is Air Niugini between PNG & Aus (SYD/BNE). Qantas sells seats on Air Niugini but each airline is still meant to compete with each other. If Qantas just matched Air Niugini's price they would find themselves in trouble with the ACCC.

I would suggest that the current pricing of EK flights by QF would be something similar. This is without factoring each airlines pricing formulas (not-yet aligned) and other factoring like supply/demand etc.

There are heaps of quirks in aviation which don't make sense to the wider world... at times its cheaper to fly to europe through dubai than it is to fly just to dubai.

If someone who's worked in the pricing area of an airline knows more, I'd be glad to learn from you!

My personal view is that Qantas can charge what it likes, the market will decide what it is willing to pay. (...and that corporate excuse came from EK not QF)

It was a sight to behold. All it needed was the main theme from The Battle Of Britain :P

So very true - that stirring theme always gives me goosebumps!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFEXitPn1ko

Now, if only one of them had dipped their wings in a bit of a 'victory roll'...