BA-Qatar airline alliance gets extension from NZ Government

The British Airways-Qatar Airways joint business agreement has been extended for five more years and the refreshed deal now includes Spanish airline Iberia. Acting Transport Minister James Meager at the weekend said the deal should benefit New Zealand travellers and tourists visiting from overseas. “People will continue to benefit from more convenient flight schedules, better co-ordination when booking and checking in, access to the loyalty programmes of both airlines, and the ability to combine different fare classes,” Meager said. He said the reauthorised agreement now includes Iberia. British Airways and Iberia are both part of London-headquartered International Airlines Group. They and Qatar are part of the oneworld global airline alliance, which includes Qantas and is a rival to Star Alliance, which includes Air New Zealand. Meager said including Iberia should provide connectivity and capacity between New Zealand and the United Kingdom, and other European destinations. The joint business agreement has been authorised until May 31, 2030. Last month, Australia’s competition regulator gave the go-aheadfor Qatar Airways to launch an alliance with Virgin Australia. New law addresses drones, drug testing The new Civil Aviation Act took effect on Saturday. Meager said the act had a better process for authorising airline co-operation agreements. “Proposed decisions will be published and open for consultation before a final decision is made, ensuring transparency over the whole process,” he said.<br/>