Airlines
VT increases RAR services
Air Tahiti, the domestic airline of Tahiti, will increase its flight frequency between Tahiti and Rarotonga starting 29 June 2025.
SIA to upgrade Changi lounges
Singapore Airlines will transform its SilverKris and KrisFlyer Gold lounges at Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 2 over the next two years, investing S$45m.
WY ups London service
Oman Air has announced the return of its double-daily flights between Muscat and London, starting 26 October 2025.
JQ's CHC to CNS beings
Jetstar launched its direct flights from Christchurch to Cairns on Wednesday, following a ribbon cutting ceremony at the departure gate in Christchurch Airport.
QF’s DRW-SIN takes off
The newest international service has taken off from the Northern Territory with Qantas’s inaugural Darwin-Singapore service departing last Sunday.
It's official: FJ a full member of oneworld
Fiji Airways, as of today, is the newest full member of oneworld alliance, with a suite of benefits available to Kiwis.
MH launches CDG service
Malaysia Airlines marked its return to Paris with its direct flight to Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) over the weekend. Flight MH22 departed from Kuala Lumpur International Airport Terminal 1 at 11.45pm local time on 22 March 2025 and arrived in Paris at 6.40am local time, representing Malaysia Airlines’ 68th destination.
New route in Central Asia
The Kazakh airline SCAT is opening a new flight route from Munich to Shymkent from 27 May 2025. The flights will be operated three times a week – on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. The flight time is approximately six hours.
Heathrow let us down, says IATA
Last week’s closing of Heathrow is ‘yet another case’ of Heathrow letting down both travellers and airlines, according to Willie Walsh, IATA’s director general.
NZ-SQ celebrate 10-year partnership
Air New Zealand and Singapore Airlines are marking 10 years of partnership, connecting New Zealand to the world.
Finding neo: MH looks to get agents onboard
Malaysia Airlines will be working to get travel retailers onto its new A330 neo for inspections in the near future, says Ian Herald, sales account manager New Zealand for MH. He adds that agents should watch out for other innovations around the new arrival as well.
Air Tickets connects QR's NDC
Helloworld Travel’s Air Tickets says QR’s NDC connection is now live.
Cairns to host CAPA event
Cairns will host one of Australasia’s most lauded tourism and aviation summits this year, the first time the event has ever been held outside a capital city.
Indian carrier appoints ANZ GSA
Indian airline IndiGo has appointed The Walshe Group as its general sales agent (GSA) for Australia and New Zealand.
Air New Zealand chief executive Greg Foran to step down
Air New Zealand has announced that chief executive officer Greg Foran has resigned and will leave the airline on 20 October 2025.
AC’s 2025-26 season loaded
Next season’s Air Canada services between Auckland and Vancouver are loaded in the GDS and available for sale now.
Tahiti-Rarotonga connection increases
Air Rarotonga and Air Tahiti have launched an expanded schedule for the Tahiti-Rarotonga route.
Concourse E opens at DOH
Hamad International Airport (DOH) in Doha has opened Concourse E as part of its latest terminal expansion programme.
Solomon Airlines launches trans-Tasman
Solomon Airlines will launch a new Auckland-Brisbane-Auckland service, commencing Friday 21 February 2025.
ATL world's busiest airport
The busiest airport in 2024 was Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL) with 62.7 million seats, says a just released report by OAG. It also held the top spot in 2023 and 2019.
QF expands FF programme for Kiwis
Qantas has expanded the Qantas Frequent Flyer programme in New Zealand. From 2 December, Qantas Frequent Flyers will be able to convert their Everyday Rewards points into Qantas Points.
Moana flies with HA
Hawaiian Airlines has marked the upcoming animated musical, Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Moana 2, coming to theatres on 27 November, by unveiling the first of three aircraft designs related to the movie.
WLG's economic impact
A new economic impact report estimates Wellington Airport contributes over 14,500 jobs and $2 billion in GDP to the Wellington region’s economy.
NZ’s 787-9 retrofit underway
Air New Zealand has kicked off a major refresh of its Boeing 787-9 fleet, with the first of 14 aircraft set to be retrofitted with new cabin interiors.
Air travel running hot
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) says total global passenger demand in August 2024 was up 8.6% compared to August 2023.
IATA warns French against aviation tax increases
The International Air Transport Association has warned the French government that tax rises on air transport would be disastrous for the French economy.
WY introduces Business Studio
Oman Air will replace its First Class product with the new Business Studio.
IE: Special trade fare, hint of more destinations
By Megan Singleton
Solomon Airlines, which stepped into the gap left by Air Vanuatu, has seen a boon to its business with flights to Vila and Santo proving popular with leisure travellers.
NZ: New duo training platform
Air New Zealand has launched its new agent training and engagement platform – duo.
SQ's third AKL-SIN service
The introduction of a third daily flight between Auckland and Singapore starting in October was a talking point when Singapore Airlines hosted an intimate media gathering in Auckland late March.
UA's SFO expansion plans
United Airlines’ continuing expansion at San Francisco International Airport is evidence of the carrier’s confidence in the city and bay area says Clarissa Ingram, UA’s senior manager customer service for the SFO hub.
Private transfers at KLIA
Malaysia Airlines has introduced an exclusive private terminal transfer service for its passengers to travel in premium comfort between the main terminal building and the satellite terminal of Kuala Lumpur International Airport Terminal 1.
IATA: Strategic approach needed
To maximise the benefits of air travel in the post-pandemic world, governments need to take a strategic approach, says Willie Walsh, director general of the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
More demand for private jets
The uptake on private jet travel continues to increase and is providing an opportunity for agents and brokers who may not traditionally think of recommending the product to their clients. This is according to agents who had a rare opportunity to check out a Qatar Executive G650ER at ExecuJet, Auckland Airport recently.
CX to build on confidence
Building on last year’s gains both in terms of its own services and the returning popularity of destination Hong Kong will be a prime objective of Cathay Pacific in the New Zealand market through 2024.
Perth back on SAA schedule
South African Airways (SAA) has announced the return of its flights to Perth, Australia. The inaugural flight from Johannesburg to Perth is scheduled for 28 April 2024 with bookings open now.
Air travel demand at 99% plus of Nov 2019
The International Air Transport Association’s (IATA’s) data for November 2023 indicates that air travel demand topped 99% of 2019 levels.
LH to buy 80 new aircraft
Lufthansa Group is purchasing a total of 80 ultra-modern short and medium-haul aircraft.
HA to seasonal AKL service
Hawaiian Airlines will pause its Honolulu to Auckland service in April next year and resume in November having made a decision to reduce the year round schedule.
Malaysia: More lift with Batik Air
Batik Air’s entry into the New Zealand market last week was the big talking point at Tourism Malaysia’s roadshow in Auckland in September.
NF: More to NZ, CHC possible
Air Vanuatu is looking to increase services to New Zealand even further, following the announcement this week that the carrier will add a fourth weekly service to its New Zealand schedule starting 2 November.
Speaking at the Tok Tok trade event, which is being held in Port Vila now, Air Vanuatu’s executive manager commercial, Greg Wilson says that the airline is ‘strongly considering’ direct flights to Christchurch as well as having a fifth VLI-AKL in its sights.
Emirates marks big season
Emirates has marked one of its busiest northern summers, carrying over 14 million passengers with average seat load factors exceeding 80% across its global network between June and August.
Looking at the coming months, Emirates’ booking trends show unabated demand for international travel across its network.
Delta’s AKL-LAX to be year-round
Delta’s nonstop, daily flight from Auckland to Los Angeles beginning 30 October 2023 will be extended year-round and will operate daily November-March and three times weekly April-October.
FJ: new A350, route expansion
Fiji Airways has a new A350-900XWB in its fleet, expanding the airline’s capacity on flights by up to 30,000 seats a month across the network.
New Avianca flights Peru-Bolivia
World Journeys advises that Avianca is introducing flights between Cuzco (Peru) and La Paz (Bolivia), commencing November this year.
The route will operate four times a week aboard Avianca’s A320 craft, offering over 5,700 seats per month.
Delta appointment
Alison Hopkirk is the new national account manager, based in Auckland, with Delta Air Lines.
She will be responsible for the trade and corporate sectors and joins Delta’s GSA, The Walshe Group, in the lead up to the airline starting a seasonal daily service between LAX and AKL on 28 October.
Emirates marks 20 years in NZ
This month has marked 20 years of Emirates flying to New Zealand, as the airline celebrates amid its strongest presence in the market to date.
MH expands side trip offer
Malaysia Airlines has expanded its bonus side trip offer and made it a regular feature for travellers heading from New Zealand to destinations beyond Malaysia.
Air traffic just behind 2019
May 2023 traffic data shows continued strong growth in air travel demand with figures nudging 2019 levels, says the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
Total traffic in May 2023 (measured in revenue passenger kilometres or RPKs) rose 39.1% compared to May 2022. Globally, traffic is now at 96.1% of May 2019 (pre-pandemic) levels.
China Southern to return to CHC
Direct flights between Christchurch and Guangzhou will resume later this year.
The president of China Southern Airlines announced the airline’s return this week and says the service that was paused during the pandemic will re-start on 10 November with three flights a week.
QF lowers trans-Tasman fares for trade using QDP
Qantas trade partners are set to benefit from an extension to the airline’s lower pricing initiative when booking fares through Qantas’ next-generation distribution platform.
QF's new regional manager NZ
Qantas has named Alexandra O’Connor as its new regional manager for New Zealand and Pacific Islands, based in Auckland.
O’Connor will steer the commercial, financial and operational performance for Qantas in its markets across New Zealand and the Pacific Islands, including Fiji, Tonga and Samoa.
Air travel continues to surge
The strong growth in air travel demand is continuing based on just released February 2023 traffic results, says the International Air Transport Association (IATA)
Total traffic in February 2023 (measured in revenue passenger kilometres or RPKs) rose 55.5% compared to February 2022. Globally, traffic is now at 84.9% of February 2019 levels.
EK’s premium economy off to solid start in NZ
Clients have been quick to embrace Emirates’ A380 premium economy class, say a small group of agents who checked out the cabin (and the new look aircraft it is part of) this month.
Vikas Sarin, of House of Travel Milford, says many of the customers purchasing premium economy have previously experienced that class of travel and have been attracted to the different product, maybe because of connectivity or availability.
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Wallace to QF
Ex Air New Zealander Cam Wallace will join Qantas as CEO of Qantas International and Freight from 1 July 2023. This will include growing Qantas International’s capacity to 100% of pre-Covid levels and beyond, as well as guiding preparations for Project Sunrise through to the first flight in late 2025.
The announcement was made yesterday as part of changes to the carrier’s group management committee.
CI reduces upfront commissions
China Airlines has advised agents it will change its upfront commission from 5% to 2% for tickets issued from 1 February 2023 ex NZ to world destinations (eg AKL-BNE, AKL-TPE and beyond).
In a statement to trade last week, CI notes that the easing of the pandemic and lifting of border restrictions mean that demand for travel is now on the rise again.
Delta Air Lines' capacity ‘much needed’
New Zealand’s travel retailers are welcoming another link to the all-important USA gateway of LAX, with spokespeople saying there is definitely a need for more capacity on the route.
At the same time, Delta Air Lines has the trade in its sights following the announcement that the carrier will launch daily flights between Auckland and Los Angeles from 30 October on Airbus A350-900 aircraft.
Convenience a top issue
Travellers’ top concerns in the post-Covid crisis period are focused on simplification and convenience, according to the results of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) 2022 Global Passenger Survey (GPS).
