China capacity ramping up as daily Shanghai flights resume
- Air New Zealand flying daily Auckland-Shanghai from 3 May
- Air China resumes flying four times a week Beijing-Auckland from 2 May
- Two services to deliver around 6,500 seats per week between Auckland and China.
On 2 May, Air New Zealand's alliance partner Air China will touch down in Auckland for the first time in three years, giving Air New Zealand customers a direct route to Beijing – the world's most populous capital city. The next day, Air New Zealand's Auckland-Shanghai flights return to daily.
Air New Zealand Chief Customer and Sales Officer Leanne Geraghty said the resumption of the Beijing-Auckland route and daily flights to Shanghai were major milestones for the airline and for New Zealand's tourism industry as capacity to and from China ramps back up.
"We're thrilled to welcome our alliance partner Air China back to New Zealand and extend our Shanghai route to daily. China is a key market for us and the New Zealand tourism industry. The return of this route will help connect even more Chinese visitors with the amazing experiences New Zealand has to offer."
A combination of the two services will deliver around 6,500 seats a week between Auckland and China.
Pre-pandemic, China was New Zealand's second-largest international visitor market, with 450,000 visitors in 2019 and one of the most valuable in terms of holiday visitor spend, bringing in $1.5 billion.
The resumption of the Beijing-Auckland route is part of a strategic alliance between Air New Zealand and Air China.
Ms Geraghty said the partnership with Air China would help to stimulate tourism in New Zealand and aid the industry's recovery.
"China is an incredibly important inbound visitor markets, and we expect interest in visiting New Zealand to continue to grow among Chinese travellers. Our strategic alliance with Air China provides additional capacity and improved connectivity, helping us to meet demand and showcase New Zealand as a world-class tourism destination.
"We can't wait to welcome back even more Chinese visitors to our shores and show them the warm and friendly hospitality that New Zealand is known for."
Air New Zealand and Air China's strategic alliance means that customers of both airlines enjoy reciprocal frequent flyer benefits, such as earning and spending loyalty points and lounge access. Air New Zealand customers also have access to Air China's comprehensive network of more than 300 routes, while Air China customers have access to New Zealand destinations and its Pacific network.
Schedules are as follows:
| Flight Number | Route | Departure Time | Arrival Time | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
NZ3889 / CA784 | AKL - PEK | 19:30 | 04:30+1 | Tue, Thu, Sat, Sun |
NZ3888 / CA783 | PEK - AKL | 00:55 | 17:30 | Tue, Thu, Sat, Sun |
From 2 May, Air China's Beijing-Auckland-Beijing services will be:
NZ3889 /
CA784
AKL - PEK
19:30
04:30+1
Tue, Thu, Sat, Sun
NZ3888 /
CA783
PEK - AKL
00:55
17:30
Tue, Thu, Sat, Sun
| Flight Number | Route | Departure Time | Arrival Time | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
NZ289 | AKL - PVG | 22:40 | 06:55+1 | Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun |
NZ288 | PVG - AKL | 14:15 | 05:45 | Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun |
From 3 May, Air New Zealand daily Auckland-Shanghai-Auckland schedule will be:
NZ289
AKL - PVG
22:40
06:55+1
Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun
NZ288
PVG - AKL
14:15
05:45
Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun
Ends
Email: media@airnz.co.nz │Phone: +64 21 747 320│Twitter: @AirNZMedia
About Air New Zealand
Air New Zealand's story started in 1940, first taking to the skies between Auckland and Sydney on a flying boat - a Short S30. Known for its warm Kiwi hospitality, today, the airline has 104 operating aircraft ranging from Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners and Airbus A320s to ATRs and Q300s, offering customers comfort in the latest most efficient jets and turboprops. It's a modern fuel-efficient fleet with an average age of 7.3 years. Air New Zealand's global network of passenger and cargo services centres around New Zealand. Pre-Covid, the airline flew more than 17 million passengers every year, with 3,400 flights per week. Air New Zealand was recently named the World's Safest Airline by the Australian rating service AirlineRatings.com, highlighting the airline's laser-focus on safety. Last year, Air New Zealand won Best Corporate Reputation in New Zealand – 8th year in a row.
Air New Zealand has a well-connected domestic business, connecting customers and cargo to 20 different regions around New Zealand. Internationally, the airline has direct flights to major cities across Australia, Asia, the Pacific Islands and the US, and through its strong relationships with alliance partners, offers customers more choice and convenience to connect further afield to hundreds of destinations. Air New Zealand has a particular focus on sustainability and its Sustainability Framework helps guide the airline's efforts in tackling some of New Zealand's and the world's most complex challenges. Air New Zealand aircraft are proudly identified by its distinct tail livery of the Mangōpare, the Māori symbol of the hammerhead shark which represents strength, tenacity, and resilience.
About Star Alliance
Air New Zealand is proud to be a member of Star Alliance. The Star Alliance network was established in 1997 as the first truly global airline alliance to offer worldwide reach, recognition and seamless service to the international traveller. Its acceptance by the market has been recognized by numerous awards, including the Air Transport World Market Leadership Award and Best Airline Alliance by both Business Traveller Magazine and Skytrax. The member airlines are: Aegean Airlines, Air Canada, Air China, Air India, Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Austrian, Avianca, Brussels Airlines, Copa Airlines, Croatia Airlines, EGYPTAIR, Ethiopian Airlines, EVA Air, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Shenzhen Airlines, Singapore Airlines, South African Airways, SWISS, TAP Portugal, Turkish Airlines, THAI and United. Overall, the Star Alliance network currently offers more than 18,500 daily flights to 1,321 airports in 193 countries.