Summary
- Air Latest Zealand leasing the aircraft helps to beat the heavy constraint of its fleet.
- The aircraft, registered as ZK-OKU, will operate its first revenue service between Auckland and Melbourne on November seventeenth.
- The 294-seater will then be used to Sydney from November twentieth and Houston from November thirtieth.
Air Latest Zealand has leased a Boeing 777-300ER previously utilized by Cathay Pacific. Registered ZK-OKU, it was once B-KPJ, as in the next photo. The four-class, first-class-equipped, 294-seat aircraft – far lower in capability than the carrier’s other 777-300ERs – arrived in Auckland on October fifteenth. The firstclass suites are marketed as Business Premier Preferred and sold as an upgrade from Business Premier. While subject to alter, it is anticipated to operate as follows.
Take off day: November seventeenth
When writing, ZK-OKU is resulting from enter revenue service on November seventeenth between Auckland and Melbourne. It’s on NZ121, which leaves Latest Zealand at 08:50 and arrives in Australia at 10:45 local. Multiple ANZ arrivals from North America feed this departure. Returning, NZ124 leaves Melbourne at 12:05 and comes home at 17:35, feeding transpacific services.
Using Cirium to explore ANZ’s schedule until the top of March indicates that it plans two to 4 weekly Auckland-Melbourne flights, depending on the precise week, with this 777. In all, it has 57 roundtrip services.
(What’s now ZK-OKU.) Photo: Angel DiBilio | Shutterstock
While 45 roundtrips will likely be on NZ121/124, the remaining 12 will likely be on NZ127/128, which depart from Auckland at 13:50 and return at 22:30. For now, these will only operate between November 18th and January thirtieth.
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Then there may be Sydney
The second path to see the 294-seater is Sydney, which for now will only have three roundtrips on November twentieth, twenty first, and twenty third. On all three occasions, NZ105 will depart Auckland at 11:05 and arrive in Latest South Wales at 12:30 local. Returning, NZ106 will go at 13:45 and get back at 18:45.
Image: GCMap
And to Houston…
Completing the trio of (initial?) routes for ZK-OKU is Houston. At 7,415 miles (11,933 km), it’s by far ANZ’s longest 777-300ER route. Speaking at Routes World in Istanbul, the carrier’s Ashleigh Walsh, Head of Network Planning, said that Houston was on absolutely the outer range of viability for the equipment. The 48 fewer seats versus ANZ’s other 777s (an example shown below) means lower weight, helping to extend range and performance.
Photo: Markus Mainka I Shutterstock
Walsh said its ultra-long-haul routes have much higher premium demand, meaning that ZK-OKU – with many more premium seats and fewer in economy – also needs to help with pricing, yields, and overall revenue and performance.
It’ll take off to Texas on November thirtieth, with the plan (for now) to see it used until March twenty ninth. Generally, there will likely be three weekly services, with ANZ’s 342-seaters used on the remaining 4 weekly flights to Houston.
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