Air New Zealand

Overview

Air New Zealand is the flag carrier airline of New Zealand. Based in Auckland, the airline operates scheduled passenger flights to 20 domestic and 31 international destinations in 20 countries, primarily around and within the Pacific Rim. The airline has been a member of the Star Alliance since 1999. Air New Zealand originated in 1940 as Tasman Empire Airways (TEAL), a company operating trans-Tasman flights between New Zealand and Australia. TEAL became wholly owned by the New Zealand Government in 1965, whereupon it was renamed Air New Zealand. The airline served only international routes until 1978, when the government merged it and the domestic New Zealand National Airways (NAC) into a single airline under the Air New Zealand name. Air New Zealand was privatised in 1989, but returned to majority government ownership in 2001 after near bankruptcy due to a failed tie up with Australian carrier Ansett Australia. Air New Zealand's route network focuses on Australasia and the South Pacific, with long-haul flight services to eastern Asia, the Americas and the United Kingdom. It was the last airline to circumnavigate the world with flights to London Heathrow via both Los Angeles and Hong Kong. The latter ended in March 2013 when Air New Zealand stopped HK – LHR flights, in favour of a codeshare agreement with Cathay Pacific. In 2014, Air New Zealand was ranked the safest airline in the world by JACDEC.