Not a surprising decision, especially in light of some of the other decisions from the west side of the Tasman regarding access to Australian skies.
One could be excused for thinking that like some previous decisions, Qantas had some influence in this decision.
wasn't a QF/NZ alliance denied a few years back. Same scenario to me.
Yes perhaps, but the dynamics were far different in that case WRT the collective dominance that QF/NZ would have had in the Tasman market.