Merry Christmas

I would like to take this opportunity to wish all my readers a safe, happy and blessed Christmas and New Year, and would like to thank you for following NZ Aviation Notes this year.

I hope you have a fun, relaxing, enjoyable time with your loved ones during the festive season, drive safely, and stay safe, and I wish you luck for everything 2011 throws your way.

What better way to wish you a merry christmas than to leave it to our friends at Air New Zealand.  So here is Air New Zealands video Christmas card to you.

NZL authorities ok NZ/DJ

The New Zealand authorities have joined the ACCC in paving the way for the Air New Zealand - Virgin Blue group trans-tasman tie up, signing off on monday.

Air New Zealand and Virgin can start thrashing out the finer details of their new trans-Tasman alliance, after the deal cleared its final regulatory hurdle.
Transport Minister Steven Joyce gave the alliance the green light yesterday, saying co-operation, coupled with conditions placed on the airlines, would benefit passengers through more travel options, an improved range of departure times and continued competitive fares.

Its expected the new fares/routes/codeshared flights wll be abvailable in 6-7 months but on sale in around 4.

Stuff.co.nz Air NZ clears final hurdle in alliance with Virgin by Hamish Rutherford

Air New Zealand's Skycouch seats draw strong interest

Air New Zealand is currently wading through the "glut" of interest from overseas airlines for licencing their new skycouch seats for use by other carriers.

Air New Zealand is in talks with other airlines wanting to use its new "cuddle class" economy seats.

Air New Zealand will most likely licence the seats to airlines after having a period of exclusive use, probably around 18 months.

NZ Herald World airlines queue up for Air NZ 'cuddle class' seats by Owen Hemby

Virgin Blue to join Star?

There is a lot of talk around currently about the possibility of the Virgin Blue group joining Star Alliance.  The talk has been fuelled by the appearance at the recent Star Alliance conference, held in Queenstown, of VB CEO John Borghetti.  Mr Borghetti attended the conference at the invitation of Air New Zealand CEO Rob Fyfe.

Mr Borghetti would not comment on the possibility, only saying Virgin was looking at all possibilities.

For more on this
The Australian Star Alliance trains sights on Aussie airline, by Steve Creedy

ACCC say YES (finally)

Finally some good news for the Virgin group and Air New Zealand with the ACCC overturning their draft decision to grant conditional approval to the tie up of services across the tasman.

An alliance between Air New Zealand and Virgin Blue on flights between Australia and New Zealand has been conditionally approved by the Australian watchdog.
The approval by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission reversed an earlier draft ruling which was opposed to the tie-up.

Wellington International Airport Limited who had opposed the venture seem to have come out as big winners from the conditional approval

Mr Samuel said the ACCC was still concerned that the alliance might affect competition on a number of routes between Australia and New Zealand, particularly routes involving Wellington. "However, the ACCC has imposed a number of conditions on authorisation which are designed to address these competition concerns."

Read more about the decision and conditions:
Stuff.co.nz Air NZ, Virgin Blue alliance approved
NZ Herald Air NZ, Virgin Blue alliance approved
The Australian Conditional ACCC nod means Virgin Blue, Air New Zealand must add seats, by Steve Creedy