AUCKLAND- Delta Air Lines (DL) has officially marked its entrance into the New Zealand (NZ) market with the arrival of flight DL65 at Auckland Airport (AKL) from Los Angeles (LAX) on Monday morning.
The Airbus A350-900 aircraft touched down shortly after 8 a.m. The airline is set to provide daily flights during the summer season, and this frequency will be reduced to three times a week from April to October.
Delta, United, and American New Zealand Flights
New services from the United States to New Zealand are also on the horizon, scheduled to commence in the upcoming weeks.
On Monday, a new seasonal flight from United Airlines (UA) originating in Los Angeles arrived at Auckland Airport. This service, operated by the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, is initially scheduled to run three times a week, with plans to increase it to four times a week in December.
United Airlines is additionally preparing to introduce a new route from Christchurch (CHC) to San Francisco (SFO) in December, which will make it the sole airline providing direct flights between the South Island and the United States (US).
In the upcoming month of November, American Airlines (AA) will also be launching a seasonal service on the Auckland-Los Angeles route.
Executive Insights
Scott Tasker, Chief Customer Officer at Auckland Airport, expressed enthusiasm about the current aviation developments, with seven airlines now offering non-stop flights to eight North American cities during the summer season.
He noted that it’s particularly exciting to witness existing airline partners such as United expanding their options for travelers. However, the arrival of Delta Air Lines for the first time in New Zealand is particularly remarkable.
Tasker pointed out that when looking ahead to January, there will be an additional 27 flights per week to North American destinations compared to the same period in January 2020.
This substantial increase in flight frequencies underscores the strong demand for visiting and enjoying the offerings in New Zealand.
Qantas Flights
In an eventful period for aviation enthusiasts in New Zealand, Wellington Airport welcomed a new aircraft to the country and celebrated the revival of a long-dormant Qantas (QF) route.
On Sunday afternoon, the Embraer E190 touched down and was greeted with a water cannon salute. This 94-seat jet is not currently operated by any other airline in New Zealand.
It is being utilized for the Wellington to Brisbane route, operating under the Qantaslink brand, which is managed by Alliance Airlines. This service marks the first direct flight between the two cities by the Australian carrier in eight years.
With the launch of this daily service, Qantas has become the largest operator of international flights departing from Wellington.
Cam Wallace, Qantas International CEO, emphasized the significance of New Zealand within the Qantas Group network, noting the airline’s long history of flying across the Tasman and its commitment to providing ample travel options for Kiwi passengers, even surpassing pre-COVID levels.
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