Adam Thorn

The country’s COVID response minister, Chris Hipkins, said it wasn’t a decision taken lightly, and New Zealand could lift the temporary ban early.

Chair Rod Sims said the deal would “undermine competition significantly” because it would make it too difficult for another airline to challenge on selected routes.

The union’s request came after the flag carrier revealed it received incentives from states including payroll tax relief, marketing funding and direct incentives.

The business appeared to reiterate ultra-long-haul flights between New York, London and Australia was a matter of when, not if, stating it would launch once international travel recovers.

It comes after the business in September sparked a state bidding war when it said “anything that can move” is “on the table”, including its facilities in Mascot, Collingwood and Brisbane.

Ascent Vision Technologies’ ‘CM234 Spitfire camera gimbal’ uses infrared cameras to provide a more stable image during the day or night.