New route launches between China and New Zealand

Route of the Week:
China Southern’s Guangzhou to Auckland

Si Xianmin, Chairman China Southern Airlines, handed an aircraft model to New Zealand’s Prime Minister John Key at the event welcoming the Chinese SkyTeam airline to Auckland – its first destination in New Zealand. At the ribbon-cutting ceremony, they were joined by Xu Jianguo, Chinese Ambassador to New Zealand, and Joan Withers, Auckland Airport’s chairwoman. Meanwhile, the crew were treated with China Southern cupcakes.

• China Southern expanded into a new country market as the airline connected its Guangzhou (CAN) hub with Auckland (AKL), the airport analysed this week. On 8 April, the Chinese airline began flying to the New Zealand airport three times a week using 218-seat A330-200 aircraft. The SkyTeam member, which currently is expanding in Oceania, already serves three Australian airports, but this is the first time an airline from Mainland China serves New Zealand. Air New Zealand does, however, also fly between Auckland and Mainland China, serving both Beijing and Shanghai Pudong. As New Zealand’s Prime Minister John Key welcomed the first flight, he said: “China Southern’s network extends to 64 of China’s 94 airports which will provide a substantial pool of potential travelers to New Zealand. This is a huge development, with Auckland Airport advising the service is expected to bring an additional 25,000 visitors per year to New Zealand and generate 75 million NZ dollars to the New Zealand economy.”

» View all 40+ new airline routes launched this week all across the world.