Air New Zealand - Virgin Blue alliance application 2010

Last updated on 4/04/2013 4:17 p.m. 

Overview

In an application dated 4 May 2010 Air New Zealand and Virgin Blue group sought authorisation under Part 9 of the Civil Aviation Act 1990 to form an Australasian Airline Alliance for the integrated operation of their services on trans-Tasman routes.

Decision

On 21 December 2010, the Minister of Transport announced his decision to authorise the Alliance for a period of three years. The Minister’s authorisation is subject to the applicants maintaining compliance with the Alliance Capacity Implementation Agreement, which was submitted to the Ministry of Transport on 12 December 2010. The Alliance Capacity Implementation Agreement ensures that the applicants will at least maintain base year capacity on the Tasman overall, and increase capacity on certain routes (particularly routes to/from Wellington).

View more information, including the public views submitted to the Ministry.

Variation

On 2 August 2011 the Minister of Transport authorised variations to the Alliance Capacity Implementation Agreement to take account of reduction in demand following the Christchurch earthquakes and the disruptions caused by the ash cloud from the Puyehue-Cordon Caulle volcano in Chile.