This was published 4 years ago
Air New Zealand reveals details of non-stop New York route from Auckland
Air New Zealand will use a Boeing Dreamliner 787-9 for the Newark service.Credit: AP
Air New Zealand has released details of the new Auckland to New York service it will launch to replace its soon-to-be-axed London flights.
From October 29, 2020, the national carrier will fly the new route three times a week year-round under its flagship NZ1 southbound and NZ2 northbound flight numbers.
The first ever non-stop service between New Zealand and New York will be operated by the airline's Boeing 787-9 aircraft in the latest "premium-focused" configuration, which has a higher proportion of business premier and premium economy seating.
With an expected flight time of 15 hours and 40 minutes northbound and 17 hours 40 minutes southbound, the new service "will cut travel time by around three hours, putting New Zealand in easy reach of New York and the US Eastern Seaboard," Air New Zealand acting chief executive officer, Jeff McDowall, said.
"It's terrific we can make a seamless journey a reality for Kiwis wanting to experience New York and Americans keen to explore New Zealand and we'll work with United to grow the route and visitor numbers in both directions."
The airline will fly into Newark Liberty International Airport, from which partner airline United operates more than 400 daily flights to more than 90 destinations across the United States.
Flights to New York will leave Auckland at 7:55pm on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays, arriving in the Big Apple at 5:35pm local time.
The return flights will leave New York at 7:05pm local time on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays and arrive in Auckland at 6:45am (NZT).
Flights for the new route, which is subject to final regulatory approvals and crewing agreements, go on sale this November.
New York will be Air New Zealand's sixth destination in the US. It also flies to Los Angeles, San Francisco, Houston, Hawaii and Chicago.
The new service replaces the airline's daily Los Angeles-London service, which will end in October 2020.
McDowall said the New York said "this reset will put us in the best possible position to take advantage of increasing demand across the Pacific Rim".
Air New Zealand purchased eight 787-10 Dreamliners earlier this year with a list value of $US2.7 billion ($AU3.94b). The new aircraft, powered by General Electric's GEnx engines, is the most fuel efficient wide-body aircraft/jet engine combination on the market.
Qantas recently completed a test flight on a 787-9 Dreamliner from New York to Sydney which, covering 16,200 kilometres over 19 hours and 16 minutes, was longer in duration and distance than any airline route flown in the world today. The Australian airline aims to begin flying the route commercially from 2020.
The announcement of the new and cancelled routes came hot on the heels of the announcement of new CEO Greg Foran.
The Kiwi, who had helped transform US retail giant Walmart, will take up the role in the first quarter of next year.
The world's longest flights:
- Newark-Singapore, Singapore Airlines, 15,344 km
- Doha-Auckland, Qatar Airways, 14,535 km
- London-Perth, Qantas, 14,499 km
- Dubai-Auckland, Emirates, 14,200 km
- Auckland-New York, Air New Zealand, 14,178km
- Los Angeles-Singapore, United Airlines, 14,113 km
- Houston-Sydney, United Airlines, 13,833 km
- Sydney-Dallas, Qantas, 13,804 km
- New York-Manila, Philippine Airlines, 13,712 km
- San Francisco-Singapore, United Airlines & Singapore Airlines, 13,592 km
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