Closer ties with Greece through new agreement

An agreement signed by Transport Minister Simon Bridges at an international conference paves the way for easier and more affordable travel between New Zealand and Greece.

The agreement was signed by Minister Bridges and Ms Theopisti Perka, the Secretary General of the Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority, at the International Transport Forum Summit in Leipzig, Germany.

“The Summit provides an excellent opportunity to formally put in place new agreements that strengthen New Zealand’s transport, trade and tourism ties with the world,” Mr Bridges says

“Greece has long been a popular holiday destination for New Zealanders. The agreement provides airlines with the opportunity to offer code-share services between the two countries. Code sharing is easier and more convenient for passengers as it means that code-sharing airlines can cooperate and offer their passengers a single ticket involving flights with multiple airlines,” Mr Bridges says

The agreement also provides opportunities for airlines to operate direct services in the future, should they see a market opportunity.

The Agreement with Greece was negotiated at the International Civil Aviation Negotiation Conference in 2014, hosted by Bali. Agreements negotiated at the conference include Bahrain, Colombia, Egypt, Oman, Serbia and the Seychelles.

This change continues the Government’s commitment to implementing its International Air Transport Policy which was announced in August 2012 and aims to grow the economy and deliver greater prosperity, security and opportunities for New Zealanders.