"New air services negotiations between New Zealand and Germany have resulted in new opportunities for the airlines of each country”, the Minister of Transport, Hon. Mark Gosche, said today.

The announcement comes as German Federal President Johannes Rau is in the course of a State Visit to New Zealand.

“These new air services opportunities are of considerable value as Germany is the second largest source of European visitors to New Zealand, with over 53,000 arrivals in the year ended February”, Mr Gosche noted. “In 2000 spending by German tourists contributed $190 million to New Zealand’s economy.”

Under the new arrangements, the airlines of each country may operate over any routing and with unlimited aircraft capacity. This includes the right for cargo airlines of New Zealand and Germany to establish themselves in the other country and operate services to third countries with no requirement that the services touch the airline’s home country. The technical term for this is “seventh freedom” cargo services.

Also agreed was the right to carry certain passengers between domestic points in the other country, where this forms part of an international service.

New arrangements in respect of ground handling and aviation safety will also come into effect.

Air New Zealand ceased flying to Frankfurt in March this year, but has taken advantage of arrangements negotiated with Germany to develop very extensive code-share connections with its Star Alliance partner Lufthansa. Lufthansa, meantime, has provided a significant boost to cargo capacity to and from New Zealand with the introduction of its thrice-weekly cargo service at Auckland, using MD-11 aircraft.

“The State Visit to New Zealand of President Johannes Rau provides the perfect occasion to announce the new air services arrangements”, Mr Gosche said. “Relations between New Zealand and Germany are close in many fields and this is greatly facilitated by the fact that we have air services arrangements well suited to meet the needs of our traders and travellers”.

Ends

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