Summary
- Christchurch International Airport is about to welcome three additional long-haul destinations, including Guangzhou, San Francisco, and Hong Kong.
- China Southern will relaunch its direct 787 Dreamliner services from Guangzhou, re-establishing a link between the South Island and mainland China.
- Singapore Airlines will add three extra flights per week, totaling ten weekly flights between Christchurch and Singapore, providing increased capability for passengers and cargo.
It’s up and away for travelers to and from Christchurch International Airport, the biggest airport on Latest Zealand’s South Island, because the airport is about to welcome three extra long-haul destinations for the Southern Hemisphere summer. Currently home to a every day A350 flight to Singapore, and a one-stop Airbus A380 Emirates service to Dubai, things will heat up within the international terminal by Christmas.
While the subsequent long long-haul visitor won’t precisely be latest, China Southern will relaunch its direct 787 Dreamliner services from Guangzhou come November tenth, re-establishing a direct link between the South Island and mainland China. CZ had previously operated the route before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Source: GCMap
Latest Zealand Prime Minister, Chris Hipkins, reiterated the importance of direct flights to China, stating:
“China stays a very important tourist market to Latest Zealand, with borders open, tourists returning to our shores, and today’s announcement will make visiting from China even easier and help drive our economic recovery.”
United Airlines and Cathay Pacific en route
Star-Alliance member United Airlines looks to strengthen its relationship with local carrier Air Latest Zealand, with its direct link to San Francisco set to launch a seasonal service from December 1st. Operating 3 times every week over 4 months, American travelers are expected to usher in NZ $44 million ($26 million) in visitor spending, with three-quarters destined for the South Island.
While the United service is predicted to be popular amongst travelers at each ends of the spectrum, it is usually prone to play an important part in the USA Antarctic Programme, based on Christchurch Airport’s grounds. Greater than 3,000 staff head south from the US for research in Christchurch and onto Antarctica every southern summer.
Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Easy Flying
The southern airport can be excitedly awaiting the return of Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific, which plans to deploy its Airbus A350 south to Christchurch from December fifteenth. The carrier had served Christchurch before the pandemic when many airlines paused their international operation.
The link between Christchurch and Hong Kong will undoubtedly see plenty of point-to-point demand. Nonetheless, it should also appeal to those trying to make a one-stop hop between the South Island and Europe or other points in Asia. The route is predicted to run until the top of February 2024.
While the Singaporean carrier has long maintained a every day service between the 2 cities, Christchurch is about to see a further three services every week, taking the connection to 10 weekly from November nineteenth. Singapore Airlines began serving the route in 1986 and has remained loyal even through the depths of the pandemic. The increased capability on the route will add 40 flights across the summer, leading to a further 759 seats every week.
Along with the added capability for passengers, the increased cargo capability will likely be a further 50 tonnes every week, aiding local exporters to get Latest Zealand’s world-class produce, wine, meat, and dairy into the sky and to their customers quicker.
Sources: Beehive.govt.nz