
Retrospective: 40 Years Since Airline Deregulation | by Eden Li
Privatisation of the domestic airline scene has undoubtedly been financially lucrative for New Zealand’s two biggest players. In late August 2023, Air New Zealand announced a net profit of $213M (RNZ, 2023). Although finances are yet to be released for Jetstar’s domestic New Zealand operations, indications suggest that 2023 has also been a lucrative year for the Qantas subsidiary. Shareholders have mostly been elated by the stellar performances of both carriers so far this year, with Air New Zealand shareholders receiving plentiful dividends as an added bonus (RNZ, 2023). However, the travelling public is less pleased. Both carriers have been