Air New Zealand's future is in doubt if a proposed alliance with Australian flag carrier Qantas does not go ahead, Air NZ chief executive Ralph Norris said today. Norris told an inquiry into the prospective link up that although Air NZ was in a relatively healthy position, the outlook for the airline was "seriously adverse" if the alliance with Qantas was not approved. He told the six day NZ Commerce Commission hearing, which opened today, that Air NZ could not weather a price war against any budget airline unless it had the backing of Qantas to establish itself as a full service operator. "Air NZ could withstand a war of attrition for some years, in the order of three to five or six years - it may be sooner or it may be longer, it depends on the increasing capacity of the player with the deepest pockets." Norris said that Air NZ's chance to align itself with Qantas was unlikely to be repeated as it came at a crucial time for the build up of sustainable air networks in the region.