Barrier Air (Auckland International) and fellow New Zealand-based carrier Kiwi Regional Airlines (Hamilton, NZ) have formed what they term an "agency alliance".
Under the terms of the alliance, Kiwi Regional Airlines passengers, flying routes between Nelson, NZ, Dunedin and Hamilton, NZ will be able to connect in Hamilton with Barrier Air flights to Auckland International, and on to Great Barrier Island, North Shore or Kaitaia around midday on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, starting February 15.
“We want Hamilton passengers to be able to continue flying to Auckland when Air New Zealand (NZ, Auckland International) stops that service on 7th February, and we want to give all regional passengers more choice and better access to our services in the north,” Barrier Air's CEO Mike Foster said.
Passengers booking on Kiwi flights to Hamilton will be able to ‘add on’ a connecting Barrier Air flight to one of these destinations at a concessionary rate; and Barrier Air passengers will be able to land in Hamilton, and transfer to a connecting Kiwi flight to Nelson and Dunedin.
Kiwi CEO Ewan Wilson and Barrier CEO Mike Foster did, however, note that the agreement is not a codeshare service but an agreement to sell each other's seats with separate tickets but a coordinated schedule.
