Akld Airport boosts flights to Asia

Photo / Martin Sykes

Auckland Airport expects seats on flights to Asia to be boosted by about 16 percent next year with the introduction of flights to Taipei and extra capacity to other cities.

The growth in services was in part due to Auckland Airport's alliance with Queenstown Airport, which meant visitors could fly from Auckland to one of the country's key tourism destinations.

"With our airport partnerships we can offer airlines greater flexibility and itineraries, and our ability to influence their route decisions is greater," said Glenn Wedlock, Auckland Airport's general manager of aeronautical business development.

"These additional Asian connections offer travellers a lot more options and access to airline networks, especially to the high growth markets of South East Asia, China and India. These initiatives will help drive New Zealand tourism growth," Wedlock said.

China Airlines will begin three flights a week to Taipei via Brisbane in January, and Malaysia Airlines will start an extra flight a week to Kuala Lumpur in March.

The services were in addition to Jetstar's Auckland-to-Singapore flights starting in March 2011, extra Asian capacity from Air New Zealand, Thai Airways and Korean Air, and Air Asia X's flights to Christchurch.

The airport company had been working with Tourism New Zealand and Taiwan government representatives for more than a year to arrange China Airlines' re-entry to the New Zealand market after a decade, Wedlock said.

"Taiwan is a high growth potential market for New Zealand, and has recently benefited from a change in visa policy that has enabled easier travel by Taiwanese to New Zealand, which has had a positive impact on arrival numbers."

The additional services would increase the number of seats on Asian routes out of Auckland by about 375,000 a year.

Shares in Auckland Airport eased a cent to $2.14 in early afternoon trading, down from yesterday's more than two-year high of $2.17.

- NZPA