TALKS ON AUSSIE TIE-UP. .. .Virgin Blue, Air NZ may link networks . .. .SYDNEY - Virgin Blue, Sir Richard Branson's discount airline, is in talks with Air New Zealand (Air NZ) about linking their route networks in Australia after the New Zealand carrier's former unit there collapsed.. .. .Brisbane-based Virgin Blue now corners about 15 per cent of the domestic market and flies to 16 destinations while Air NZ has four Australian gateways, the discount airline said. . .. .Air NZ's former Australian unit, Ansett Holdings, flew for the last time this week after a revival plan failed.. .. .'We are talking to Air New Zealand about how we can do affordable feed traffic from our network to their gateways in Australia,' said Virgin Blue's head of commercial operations, Mr David Huttner, in an interview.. .. .Qantas, Australia's biggest airline, now holds 75 per cent of the domestic air travel market and is seeking to expand services in New Zealand. . .. .Both Qantas and Virgin Blue had expressed interest previously in buying a stake in Air NZ, the Sydney Morning Herald said yesterday.. .. .'How does Air New Zealand get a customer from Launceston or Adelaide or Townsville or Mackay onto its network? That is where we can assist,' Mr Huttner said.. .. .'That does not mean that we are in any way going to take a stake in Air New Zealand,' he added.. .. .Virgin Blue said it still planned to expand its services to New Zealand, an objective which was first announced in April last year.. .. .These plans are not part of the current talks with Air NZ, Mr Huttner said.. .. .The New Zealand government bought 83 per cent of Air NZ to stave off insolvency after Ansett's collapse.. .. .Air NZ shares were unchanged at 34 New Zealand cents yesterday while Qantas shares fell 1.1 per cent to A$4.47. --Bloomberg News