Air New Zealand Expands Services and Increases Capacity on Key Asian Routes

Air New Zealand has announced significant expansions in its flight operations, including the resumption of several international services and increased seat capacity on key Asian routes.

Starting at the end of October, Air New Zealand will resume flights from Auckland to Hobart and Seoul-Incheon, offering three weekly flights each way. These services will be available through the end of March, providing enhanced connectivity to passengers.

Boosting Capacity in Asia

From November 2024 to March 2025, the airline will increase seat capacity to Singapore, Tokyo-Narita, and Taipei. This expansion is facilitated by the introduction of the Boeing 777-300ER, Air New Zealand’s largest aircraft, which not only offers more seats but also a higher proportion of premium seats, ensuring greater comfort and space for passengers.

The Boeing 777-300ER also boasts a 30% increase in cargo capacity compared to the 787 it replaces, significantly benefiting exporters in these regions.

Despite the positive developments, Air New Zealand continues to face challenges with the availability of Rolls Royce Trent 1000 engines for its 787-9 fleet, affecting the resumption of its Chicago service. The service is now expected to resume in March 2025.

Scott Carr, Air New Zealand’s General Manager of Long Haul, expressed regret over the delays, «Unfortunately, ongoing issues with the availability of Rolls Royce Trent 1000 engines on our 787-9 aircraft have prevented us from being able to return to our Chicago route in October as we had hoped. We anticipate returning to Chicago when we take delivery of our new 787 aircraft from Boeing, currently scheduled for the second half of 2025.»

Carr also mentioned proactive customer service initiatives, «In the coming days, our teams will be reaching out directly to customers who have bookings on our Chicago route beginning in October to share their options so they do not have to contact us proactively.»

Capacity Increase Details

Tokyo-Narita: 30,000 additional seats, mostly in Business Premier and Premium Economy.
Singapore: 20,000 additional seats, 11,000 of which are in Business Premier and Premium Economy.
Taipei: 5,000 seats in Business Premier and Premium Economy.

These increases are in comparison to the same period from the previous year (November 2023 – March 2024).