Air New Zealand Limited (, ) is the national airline and flag carrier of New Zealand. Based in Auckland, New Zealand, the airline operates scheduled passenger flights to 27 domestic destinations and 26 international destinations in 14 countries across Asia, Europe, North America and Oceania, and is currently the only airline to circumnavigate the world. Air New Zealand is a member of the Star Alliance global airline alliance, having joined in 1999. Air New Zealand is headquartered in a building called "The Hub", located away from Auckland Airport, in central Auckland City. Air New Zealand originated in 1940 as Tasman Empire Airways Limited (TEAL), a flying boat company operating trans-Tasman flights between New Zealand and Australia. TEAL became wholly owned by the New Zealand Government in 1965, whereupon it was renamed Air New Zealand. The airline was largely privatised in 1989, but returned to government ownership in 2001 after the failed tie up with Australian carrier Ansett Australia (when Ansett suffered financial issues and folded operations during that year). As of 2008, Air New Zealand carries 11.7 million passengers annually. and awarded Airline of the Year 2010 by the Air Transport World Global Airline Awards

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