Air New Zealand and Flight Centre sign strategic partnership agreement

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 18, 2015 /CNW/ -- Air New Zealand and Flight Centre Travel Group have signed a long-term strategic partnership agreement which aims to create mutual opportunities for both parties to grow their global revenue position across New Zealand, Australia, USA, Canada and the UK.

The three year agreement was signed last night in Brisbane by Air New Zealand Chief Executive Officer Christopher Luxon and Flight Centre Travel Group Chief Executive Officer Graham Turner.

Mr Luxon says the partnership seeks to build deeper sales and market development opportunities in addition to improving alignment with tourism board marketing opportunities.

"In addition to growing capacity and improving our operating efficiencies, partnerships with like-minded industry leaders are crucial to our success.

Flight Centre brings unique, innovative propositions to our key markets and is the ideal partner for us to increase awareness and familiarity of our global network," says Mr Luxon.

Flight Centre Travel Group Chief Operating Officer Melanie Waters-Ryan also welcomed the new agreement.

"Flight Centre Travel Group and Air New Zealand have enjoyed a long and mutually beneficial relationship and we are delighted to expand our relationship globally," Mrs Waters-Ryan said.

"Our aim will be to work proactively with Air New Zealand to promote its world class offerings to our leisure and corporate travel customers globally and to help it grow its business.

"This new agreement is in contrast to the short-term deals that we often see in the travel industry and reflects both companies' willingness to work together over the longer term to grow the market."

About Air New Zealand

Air New Zealand has been connecting travellers for 75 years, and operates, on average, 500 flights a day within a network of 51 cities in 17 countries including 22 destinations within New Zealand. North American services include non-stop flights to New Zealand from San Francisco, Los Angeles, Houston (commencing 15 December 2015), Honolulu and Vancouver B.C., and Los Angeles non-stop to the Cook Islands and London.

Air New Zealand is proud to be a member of Star Alliance. The Star Alliance network was established in 1997 as the first truly global airline alliance to offer worldwide reach, recognition and seamless service to the international traveller. Its acceptance by the market has been recognized by numerous awards, including the Air Transport World Market Leadership Award and Best Airline Alliance by both Business Traveller Magazine and Skytrax. The member airlines are: Adria Airways, Aegean Airlines, Air Canada, Air China, Air India, Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Austrian, Avianca, Avianca in Brazil, Brussels Airlines, Copa Airlines, Croatia Airlines, EGYPTAIR, Ethiopian Airlines, EVA Air, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Shenzhen Airlines, Singapore Airlines, South African Airways, SWISS, TAP Portugal, Turkish Airlines, THAI and United. Overall, the Star Alliance network currently offers more than 18,500 daily flights to 1,330 airports in 192 countries.

For more information about Air New Zealand visit www.airnewzealand.com and for more information about Star Alliance visit www.staralliance.com and/or follow Star Alliance on Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, LinkedIn or Instagram

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151117/288670 

SOURCE Air New Zealand

Air New Zealand Public Affairs, ph [phone]; Cherie Whyte, Air New Zealand, [phone], http://www.airnewzealand.com