China and New Zealand have agreed to amend their air services agreement so that their airlines can establish commercial code-share arrangements, with Annette King, New Zealand’s Minister of Transport, making the announcement after meeting with Yang Yuanyuan, Minister of the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China in China on Monday.
King told reporters, “Yang and I agreed that China and New Zealand will implement from this month a change to our 1993 air services agreement to facilitate code share arrangements,” adding, “The new code-share arrangements will boost tourism and business travel between the two countries.”According to official statistics, New Zealand received 114,000 visitors from China in the year to March, a 26% growth year-on-year.
Air New Zealand’s Greater China GM, Peter Elmsly, said that the official announcement meant the airline could explore new routes in cooperation with Chinese carriers, with Air New Zealand having launched direct Auckland-Shanghai services in November 2006, a “milestone” for the airline and for direct travel between New Zealand and China.
Air New Zealand plans to increase its Auckland-Shanghai services from three to five flights a week from November, and also plans direct flights from Auckland to Hong Kong.
Report by The Mole
