Virgin Australia has re-entered a codeshare agreement with Air New Zealand, following approvals from Australian regulators.
From 9 December, the Australian carrier will place its code on Air New Zealand flights from Australia to Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.
The codeshare agreement covers more than 300 weekly flights from Australian cities like Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Gold Coast and Perth. The partnership does not cover Virgin Australia’s existing services to Queenstown.
Both airlines had codeshare agreements as far back as 2010, before ending the partnership in 2018. Subsequently, Virgin Australia would enter into administration and emerge in late-2020 under new owners Bain Capital.
In June this year, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission greenlit the unilateral codeshare agreement, after finding that the “sharing of resources” between the two airlines will provide more ticketing and price options for travellers.
Virgin Australia chief strategy and transformation officer Alistair Hartley says: “This codeshare agreement isn’t just about flights – it’s about creating seamless travel experiences that give Virgin Australia customers more ways to explore, connect, and adventure.”
