The most recent news about airline cancellations and reduced schedules has discouraged many travelers. Air New Zealand’s plans may bring at least a few smiles to unhappy faces.
On September 16, New Zealand’s flag-carrier, state-owned airline announced that it’s officially relaunching its plan to offer extremely long-haul flights between Auckland, the country’s most populous city, and New York City in the United States. During the pandemic, Air New Zealand had to shelve the idea because of border closings and quarantine efforts.
The great news is that travelers don’t have to wait for these flights to happen “someday.” On Friday, the first flight, a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, left Auckland to travel northeast to New York with a Saturday afternoon estimated arrival time.
The Dreamliner received special updates. It features 13 economy, “three-seat” skycouches, 215 standard-economy seats, 33 premium-economy recliners and 27 business-class, push-flat seats.
A southbound trip from New York City to Auckland leaves John F. Kennedy International Airport on Saturday. Although not the longest flight recorded in modern history to-date, it’s expected to arrive in Auckland after traveling nearly 9,000 miles for approximately 17 hours and 35 minutes.
Some experts feel that Air New Zealand moved forward suddenly with this plan because Qantas Airways Limited, the flag-carrier for Australia, has longer, long-haul, non-stop trips planned starting in 2025 between Sydney with the options of New York City or London in the United Kingdom as final destinations. Qantas had recently updated its timeline to start early in June 2023 with a new Auckland-to-New York route planned.
Qantas Airways Limited controls more of the domestic market in the U.S. than Air New Zealand through a partnership with American Airlines. Air New Zealand’s early launch might help it remain competitive next year.