Virgin Australia and Air NZ to Form New Partnership

henrus · Dec 2, 2023

Mwenenzi said:
Given the speed of the NZ govt bureaucracy would not be expecting a decision until mid 2024 (as best)

Yep and the ACCC one is live with April as a date from the ACCC as determination with the application wanting June as the start date.

Virgin Australia Airlines Ptd Ltd and Ors

On 17 November 2023, Virgin Australia Airlines Pty Ltd on behalf of itself and its related bodies corporate, Virgin Australia International Airlines Pty Ltd and its related bodies corporate (collectively, Virgin Australia) and Air New Zealand Limited (Air New Zealand) (together, the Applicants)...

www.accc.gov.au

HS-TQE · Dec 9, 2023

The QF agreement with NZ I'm assuming should finish up around late October of 2024.

NZ and/or VA will need to submit another application to both the respective NZ and Australian commissions if NZ decides to finish up with the QF agreement (should they wish to expand to a two-way agreement with VA) in 2025.

justinbrett · Dec 9, 2023

HS-TQE said:
The QF agreement with NZ I'm assuming should finish up around late October of 2024.

From what I can see there was no end date put on it. It's not subject to regulatory approval (being arms length) so doesn't need to be renewed. I imagine there is a termination clause in the agreement but that's not necessarily a fixed time, quite likely one party has to give the other notice.

ferntree · Dec 15, 2023

Anybody heard anything more about this?

The Virgin, Air New Zealand alliance is back (sort of)

Velocity points, status credits and lounge access are back on the table for AU-NZ flights.

www.executivetraveller.com

justinbrett · Dec 15, 2023

Thread here - Virgin Australia and Air NZ to Form New Partnership

AustraliaPoochie · Dec 16, 2023

As of now, when you type MEL - AKL on the VA website, it still comes up as "uh oh".
Wonder how slow this agreement will work out/be worked out.
I don't think its the system where we go into the AirNZ booking system and put in our VFF # as of old, ie, between 2012 to 2017, ie, direct booking and direct entry of VFF # into the AirNZ system.

HS-TQE · Dec 16, 2023

AustraliaPoochie said:
As of now, when you type MEL - AKL on the VA website, it still comes up as "uh oh".
Wonder how slow this agreement will work out/be worked out.
I don't think its the system where we go into the AirNZ booking system and put in our VFF # as of old, ie, between 2012 to 2017, ie, direct booking and direct entry of VFF # into the AirNZ system.

The proposed partnership is still in its submission period for NZCC and ACCC, as per most other partnership announcements. It'll be a few months before they put out a decision, Late Q2 2024 at the earliest.

AustraliaPoochie · Dec 16, 2023

Ah, ta HW-TQE.

HS-TQE · Jan 18, 2024

Update on the proposed one-way VA/NZ partnership.

Interim decision to be posted late next month and Final Decision to be announced in April 2024 (Dates subject to change)

Some interesting submissions from SACL and NZA opposing the partnership, but arguments seem weak at best.

Virgin Australia Airlines Ptd Ltd and Ors

On 17 November 2023, Virgin Australia Airlines Pty Ltd on behalf of itself and its related bodies corporate, Virgin Australia International Airlines Pty Ltd and its related bodies corporate (collectively, Virgin Australia) and Air New Zealand Limited (Air New Zealand) (together, the Applicants)...

www.accc.gov.au

antycbr · Jan 18, 2024

HS-TQE said:
Update on the proposed one-way VA/NZ partnership.

Interim decision to be posted late next month and Final Decision to be announced in April 2024 (Dates subject to change)

Some interesting submissions from SACL and NZA opposing the partnership, but arguments seem weak at best.

Virgin Australia Airlines Ptd Ltd and Ors

On 17 November 2023, Virgin Australia Airlines Pty Ltd on behalf of itself and its related bodies corporate, Virgin Australia International Airlines Pty Ltd and its related bodies corporate (collectively, Virgin Australia) and Air New Zealand Limited (Air New Zealand) (together, the Applicants)...

www.accc.gov.au

Qantas doesn’t need to make a submission they just lobby the government directly

FishFood · Jan 18, 2024

I enjoyed reading the submissions and especially found the New Zealand Airports to be convincing. However as this is the Australian regulator's consultation I think they may have focused too much on the impact to New Zealanders.

Also I've noted in a few they refer to a Qantas/Air New Zealand code share agreement, I remember this as a interlining agreement rather than code sharing agreement. Can anyone clarify this, as I'm sure the submitters know what they are talking about.

HS-TQE · Jan 18, 2024

FishFood said:
I enjoyed reading the submissions and especially found the New Zealand Airports to be convincing. However as this is the Australian regulator's consultation I think they may have focused too much on the impact to New Zealanders.

Also I've noted in a few they refer to a Qantas/Air New Zealand code share agreement, I remember this as a interlining agreement rather than code sharing agreement. Can anyone clarify this, as I'm sure the submitters know what they are talking about.

NZ currently codeshares on selected QF domestic services from the major capital cities and vice-versa for QF codesharing on NZ domestic services.

QF/NZ are not able to co-operate/codeshare on Trans-Tasman services, so they are effectively competitors on those sectors.

henrus · Jan 18, 2024

FishFood said:
I enjoyed reading the submissions and especially found the New Zealand Airports to be convincing. However as this is the Australian regulator's consultation I think they may have focused too much on the impact to New Zealanders.

Until today I'd never even heard of NZ airport association perhaps showing how unimportant they are and I honestly think NZ airports didn't even read the application.

1. The agreement only applies to tickets sold ex AU (oneway from AU or return trips) yet a couple of times they mention Australian's living in NZ (confused as this won't benefit them).
2. VA has stated they are unlikely to enter the market and if they do the codeshare deal stops on that route (something NZ airports fails to even mention once).
3. They've mentioned Rex way too many times... (what has rex got to do with this)
4. They keep talking about how the market was less competitive during the original VA/NZ days using a single route as an example but neglecting to mention more routes where serviced back then especially into the South Island (Dunedin is now without anything international).

justinbrett · Jan 19, 2024

I think the general theme of the submissions is that if this is approved, VA will never return to AKL/WLG/CHC, However if it’s denied, eventually market conditions will make it compelling enough to return (I mean they’re flying a load restricted 737 all the way to Tokyo so it doesn’t have to be that compelling).

It’s a fair point and I still haven’t grasped why VA hasn’t returned to the major NZ cities.

antycbr said:
Qantas doesn’t need to make a submission they just lobby the government directly

If anything QF will be lobbying for this to be approved, it keeps a competitor out of the market. They have nothing to lose from VA reselling NZ tickets.

Gemstones · Apr 2, 2024

Hi all,

I heard whispers that VA was reuniting with Air New Zealand, does anyone know when that may be?

AIRwin · Apr 2, 2024

This?