Yesterday, V Australia announced that it would be codesharing with Emirates on routes between Australia and New Zealand. While I was originally scratching my head on this one, it makes a lot of sense.
Virgin Blue chief Brett Godfrey with Richard Jewsbury, an Emirates SVP.
(Source: Virgin Blue)
This deal is a win-win for both airlines. Emirates will get some extra passengers on its flights to Sydney from Christchurch and Auckland, and V Australia can hopefully get some New Zealand passengers on its longhaul flights to the States, annoying Air New Zealand.
V Australia has had an agreement with fellow Virgin Blue carrier Pacific Blue to get New Zealand passengers, but the Emirates adds some new things to the mix. Virgin Blue tells me Emirates has better timing (though V Australia did play with its flight times a bit) and Emirates offers business class. I think the latter is the biggest factor. Pacific Blue has a premium economy cabin similar to business class found on domestic European flights, but obviously that pales in comparison to Emirates’ superior international long-haul product.
Virgin tells me, however, that the partnership with Pacific Blue will continue.
Anyway, this is a smart move, I think.
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