Air New Zealand, has received government approval for its code share agreement with Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates and winner of “World’s Leading Airline” at 2010 World Travel Awards. The new code share services will be available for sale from April 14 2011, for travel from April 18.

Under the agreement, Etihad Airways will code share on Air New Zealand trans-Tasman and domestic services. Air New Zealand will code share on Etihad’s services between Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Abu Dhabi and between Abu Dhabi and London Heathrow.

The code share will also integrate the airlines’ loyalty programmes Air New Zealand’s Airpoints and Etihad Guest, enabling customers to earn and spend on each other’s flights.

Air New Zealand code share on Etihad Airways
· 11 return flights per week between Sydney and Abu Dhabi
· 3 return flights per week between Brisbane and Abu Dhabi
· 7 return flights per week between Melbourne and Abu Dhabi
· 3 return flights per day between Abu Dhabi and London Heathrow

Etihad Airways code share on Air New Zealand
· Domestic services between Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Queenstown
· Trans-Tasman services between Sydney and Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington, Rotorua and Queenstown
· Trans-Tasman services between Brisbane and Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington
· Trans-Tasman services from Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch to Melbourne