What is covered in an air service agreement
New Zealand’s bilateral air services agreements (ASAs) with other countries and territories set out the routes that can be served by airlines, the number of flights that may be operated, which airlines can use the rights negotiated and how prices are regulated. A country’s air transport policy sets out how those agreements are agreed and put in place.
New Zealand’s International Air Transport Policy
New Zealand’s air transport policy came into effect in 1985 and aimed to ensure the economy benefitted from international air services. The policy was updated and reaffirmed in 1998, then reviewed, consulted on and updated again in 2012.
Under the current policy, New Zealand continues to pursue reciprocal open skies ASAs except where it is not in its best interests. This benefits the country by adding new or additional foreign airline services, while ensuring New Zealand airlines have a fair and equal opportunity to compete.
New Zealand International Air Transport Policy 2012 [PDF, 60 KB]
Why the policy does not cover environmental issues
Environmental issues caused by aviation are dealt with through the International Civil Aviation Organization and other multilateral and cross-sectoral groups. This is a more effective way of dealing with global issues rather than seeking to adopt a range of approaches when we negotiate bilateral ASAs.
Open skies agreements
An open skies agreement is an ASA that has no limits on the routes or capacity that airlines may offer. It also has liberal arrangements on foreign ownership and minimises price regulation.
Where an open skies agreement is determined to be in the country’s best interest, New Zealand aims to make agreements that provide:
- no restrictions on routes, capacity or traffic rights
- no regulation of tariffs, except to prevent anti-competitive behaviour
- liberal arrangements for granting authorisation following receipt of designation.
In other cases, or where the other party will not agree to a full open skies agreement, we agree to the provisions that are in New Zealand’s best interest. This means we may consider allowing specific capacity for services that airlines plan to offer in the short to medium term, while we maintain a long-term objective of open skies.
Signed ASAs
New Zealand has signed ASAs with the countries and territories listed below. The current agreement is the most recent year. Dates of earlier agreements, if any, are also listed.
- Argentina — 1985
- Australia — 1961, 2002
- Austria — 2002
- Belgium — 1999
- Brazil — 1996, 2013
- Cambodia — 2015
- Canada — 1950, 1985, 2007
- China — 1993
- Colombia — 2017
- Denmark — 2001
- Ecuador – 2021
- Fiji — 1979, 1994
- Finland — 2014
- France — 1964, 1967
- Germany — 1987
- Greece — 2015
- Guyana — 2019
- Hong Kong — 1991
- India — 1997, 2006, 2016
- Indonesia — 1988
- Ireland — 1999
- Israel — 2017
- Italy — 2001,2021
- Jamaica — 2014
- Japan — 1980
- Kiribati — 2018
- Korea — 1993
- Kuwait — 2015
- Laos — 2016
- Luxembourg — 1992
- Macau — 1995
- Malaysia — 1965, 1968, 1989, 1998
- Mauritius — 2016
- Mexico — 1999
- Myanmar — 2019
- Nauru — 1980
- Niue — 1990
- Norway — 2001
- Papua New Guinea — 1994
- Peru — 2018
- Philippines — 2007
- Poland — 2018
- Qatar — 2015
- Russia — 1993
- Rwanda - 2022
- Samoa — 1978, 2000
- Saudi Arabia — 2015
- Seychelles — 2015
- Solomon Islands — 1990, 2024
- South Africa — 1997
- Spain — 2002
- Sri Lanka — 2014
- Sweden — 2001
- Switzerland — 1999
- Thailand — 1987
- Timor-Leste – 2022
- Turkey — 2010
- United Arab Emirates — 1998
- United Kingdom — 1982, 2005
- Uruguay — 2015
- Vanuatu — 1989
- Vietnam — 2003
- Zambia — 2019
MALIAT
The Multilateral Agreement on the Liberalization of International Air Transportation (MALIAT) came into force on 21 December 2001.
The initial parties were Brunei, Chile, New Zealand, Singapore and the United States of America. The Cook Islands, Tonga and Mongolia joined later. When the MALIAT came into force we suspended our bilateral ASAs with Brunei, Chile, the Cook Islands, Singapore, Tonga and the United States.
The agreement is not currently in use between Mongolia and New Zealand.
- Brunei — 1995, 1999, 2001
- Chile — 1992, 1998, 2002
- Cook Islands — 1986, 2000, 2006
- Mongolia — 2008, cargo only
- New Zealand — 2001
- Singapore — 1968, 1997
- Tonga — 1980, 2002, 2004
- United States of America — 1946, 1964, 1997, 2001
Peru joined the MALIAT on 17 May 2002 and withdrew on 15 January 2005.
Samoa joined the MALIAT on 9 November 2002 and withdrew on 9 March 2019.
Find more information on the MALIAT website.
Multilateral Agreement on the Liberalization of International Air Transportation(external link)
ASAs that are not yet signed
Agreements with these countries have been negotiated but are not signed and not formally put in place. ASAs do not need to be signed to be in use.
- Azerbaijan
- Bahrain
- Botswana
- Dominican Republic
- Egypt
- Ethiopia — agreement in use via code-share arrangements
- Iceland
- Jordan
- Kenya
- Morocco
- Nepal
- Netherlands — agreement in use via code-share arrangements
- Nigeria
- Oman — agreement in use via code-share arrangements
- Pakistan
- Panama
- Paraguay
- Portugal
- Serbia
- Slovenia
- Tanzania
- Togo
Open skies Air Transport Agreement
There is an open skies Air Transport Agreement, which is the same as an ASA, between New Zealand and the Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu, incorporated into the Agreement between New Zealand and the Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu on Economic Cooperation.
Code-share-only Memoranda of Understanding
New Zealand has agreed code-share-only Memoranda of Understanding with the Bahamas, Belize, Curacao, the Czech Republic, Mongolia and Nicaragua.
European Union member states
In 2006, New Zealand signed a 'horizontal' agreement with the European Commission that amends New Zealand's ASAs with European Union member states.
Agreement between the European Commission and New Zealand on certain aspects of air services [PDF, 68 KB]