Airline services strengthen New Zealand’s ability to engage with its key trading partners, helping build people-to-people connections and understanding of foreign business practice and culture. The Swiss-based Air Transport Action Group says the absence of good air transport links, especially in high-tech sectors, inhibits investment and trade and that, worldwide, an average of 25 percent of company sales depend on air services. In New Zealand’s case, being so far removed from its major markets, the percentage…