Unlimited trans-Tasman flights for Qantas, Jetstar, Air New Zealand

6 replies

aklrunway

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 09 May 2011

Total posts 180

Do QF/JQ and NZ have rights to unlimited flights between Australia and New Zealand or is there a cap on these for each airline?

Himeno

Member since 12 Dec 2012

Total posts 295

Australia and New Zealand have an open aviation market. There are no limits. NZ can fly NZ registered aircraft on Australian domestic routes should they want to. JQ operates NZ domestic routes with AU registered aircraft (while airlines from outside AU/NZ can not do this).

sgb

Emirates Airlines - Skywards

Member since 30 Nov 2015

Total posts 419

Sounds like a perfectly good question, can't imagine why it would be down voted, I've up voted it and look forward to reading the facts.

aklrunway

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 09 May 2011

Total posts 180

Australia and New Zealand have an open aviation market. There are no limits. NZ can fly NZ registered aircraft on Australian domestic routes should they want to. JQ operates NZ domestic routes with AU registered aircraft (while airlines from outside AU/NZ can not do this).

Thanks Himeno! I was under the impression that only Australian based airlines can operate domestic AU services? NZ appears to be a bit more liberal in their allowing foreign carriers to operate domestically.

sgb

Emirates Airlines - Skywards

Member since 30 Nov 2015

Total posts 419

Between JQ and NZ domestically, Air NZ wins hands down.

Himeno

Member since 12 Dec 2012

Total posts 295

Australia and New Zealand have an open aviation market. There are no limits. NZ can fly NZ registered aircraft on Australian domestic routes should they want to. JQ operates NZ domestic routes with AU registered aircraft (while airlines from outside AU/NZ can not do this).

Thanks Himeno! I was under the impression that only Australian based airlines can operate domestic AU services? NZ appears to be a bit more liberal in their allowing foreign carriers to operate domestically.

VH and ZK (Australia and NZ) aircraft are allowed to operated flights with full rights in either nation. This is why Jetstar is able to operate domestic flights in NZ with VH registered aircraft. If AU and NZ did not have a single market, JQ would have to operate domestic NZ flights with ZK regos, likely under the Jetconnect (Qantas owned) AOC.

The EU has a similar single market, which allows EU member airlines to fly domestic flights in other EU member nations. This is very helpful to some airlines like Ezyjet and RyanAir.

Without such a single market, the airlines of one nation can't fly domestically within another. ie, QF11/12 between LAX and JFK can't carry US domestic traffic, only international connecting traffic.

richard89

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 21 Mar 2017

Total posts 42

Further to the Q about an NZ operated aircraft operating in Australian domestic market. This has happened. Virgin Aus operated some of their then ZK (NZ) registered aircraft between OOL and SYD/MEL/ADL domestic services during the Qantas grounding in 2011/2012 (exact date escapes me) for additional capacity. Virgin sent 3 ZK registered aircraft and crew over for 5 day rota's (ZK = NZ registered aircraft). Interestingly, the crew from NZ operating these flights were paid on the equivilent Australian EBA which at the time was much, much better money than their NZ contract. Virgin's ZK/NZ AOC (air operating certificate) no longer exists and their NZ based aircraft are now Australian registered, operating to Australian rules/reg's etc for better functionality in times of disrupt. E.g. a BNE-WLG flight facing cancellation to crew sickness, can be half crewed from NZ crew and that from BNE base. QF however have kept their ZK AOC and seperate entity, but have crew trained on both ZK and VH aircraft. 

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