Air New Zealand has announced that it has bought 14.9% of the shares of airline Virgin Blue.

Some of us are still smarting over losses incurred when Air New Zealand last tried a foray into the Australian aviation market, and wrecked Ansett.

I vowed then that I would not travel with Air New Zealand. And now, I will no longer travel with Virgin Blue.

At the time of the Ansett collapse, Virgin Blue was the tin-pot 3rd carrier newcomer flying out of third-rate terminals. When Ansett collapsed, Virgin Blue stood up to replace it as Australia’s second carrier after Qantas. And now Air NZ wants to buy a substantial portion of Virgin Blue. Such irony!

Of the gazillions of reports of Air NZ’s purchase, few seem to share my memories or concerns. One exception is Ian McIlwraith, of the Sydney Morning Herald, who writes about What a difference a decade makes.