Guests included Whakatāne's mayor-elect Nándor Tánczos, mana whenua and airline representatives.

The flag carrier's incoming chief executive Nikhil Ravishankar welcomed the partnership.

"For example, someone travelling from Whakatāne to Kerikeri can now book a single journey, connecting on to an Air New Zealand service," Ravishankar said today.

"By working together, we're making it easier for customers in more parts of the country to stay connected."

Air Chathams chief executive Duane Emeny said the partnership would deliver more choice and reach for regional customers and provide a platform to promote Whakatāne.

"This partnership is an important first step and we see real potential to build on it with further regional connections in the future and continue to help unlock opportunities for growth, employment and mobility across the country," Emeny said.

"These connections are vital for local economies, by ensuring access to tourism, business, education and healthcare," Associate Minister of Transport James Meager said.

Some regional airlines have been under pressure lately.

Earlier this year, Air Chathams indicated it might have to discontinue its Whakatāne route.

Last month, Meager and Regional Development Minister Shane Jones announced concessionary loans of up to $30 million from the Regional Infrastructure Fund for small airlines.

And under the new Aviation Action Plan, the Government has been urged to support vulnerable regional routes by using the regional infrastructure fund to enable interlining arrangements between regional airlines, Air New Zealand and others.

Whakatāne District Council chief executive Steven Perdia said the council has long advocated for something similar to an interline arrangement.

"The partnership is great news for Whakatāne and the wider eastern Bay of Plenty and it's good to see Air New Zealand and Air Chathams work together in support of regional New Zealand," Perdia said.

Under the agreement, Air New Zealand will initially sell Air Chathams' Whakatāne-Auckland services as part of connecting journeys.

An example of that might be Whakatāne to Auckland to Queenstown, or Dunedin to Auckland to Whakatāne.

Air New Zealand said more regional connections will be considered at a later stage.

Air New Zealand and Air Chathams team up