Air New Zealand and Virgin Atlantic have strengthened their relationship by signing a code-share agreement on several international and domestic routes.
The pair will be able to sell connecting flights on each other’s services. This will primarily include Air NZ routes within New Zealand, between Australia and New Zealand, and some transpacific and Pacific Island routes. The code-share will also apply to two of Virgin Atlantic’s long-haul Asia-Pacific routes.
The airlines still must obtain regulatory approval but expect the code share to enter force from Feb. 28. The two carriers already have well-established interline cooperation and a reciprocal frequent flyer partnership. The code share should increase connecting traffic for both.
The specific Air NZ routes in the code share will be: from Sydney to Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington; from Auckland to Christchurch, Wellington, Queenstown and Rarotonga; from Los Angeles to Rarotonga; and San Francisco to Auckland. The Virgin Atlantic routes will be London Heathrow-San Francisco and Hong Kong-Sydney.
Meanwhile, Air NZ has welcomed China Southern’s decision to operate a direct flight from Guangzhou to Auckland, instead of its previous plan to have one-stop service via Melbourne. The one-stop flight would have “added to the congestion in the already over-serviced [New Zealand-Australia] market,” says Air NZ Deputy CEO Norm Thompson. Guangzhou was likely one of the new markets Air NZ was targeting, and China Southern is in a different alliance. However, Air NZ stresses that the China Southern flight will still have the positive effect of bringing more visitors to New Zealand.
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