Air New Zealand operates the 777-20ER to Vancouver. (Andrew Aley)
Air New Zealand will operate up to eight times weekly between Auckland and Vancouver in the peak January period next year.
The kiwi carrier announced on Thursday that it is increasing capacity to Vancouver by nearly 20 per cent between January and July next year by moving from seven to eight weekly services during the first half of January peak period, moving from five weekly services to daily flights during February, and increasing from four to five services a week in March and April, and from three to four weekly services in May through to mid-June.
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“We recognise how popular Canada is as a winter destination for Kiwis,” Air New Zealand chief revenue officer Cam Wallace said in a statement.
“We also see the value in increasing services to New Zealand for Canadian tourists, allowing them to escape the winter and enjoy a chance to experience our beautiful summer and the tranquility of New Zealand through the shoulder season.”
Air New Zealand operates Boeing 777-200ERs configured with 25 business, 40 premium economy and 246 economy class seats on the Auckland-Vancouver (NZ24) and Vancouver-Auckland (NZ23) flights.
I would like to see the boeing 787-9 or 777-300ER on the route
Barry
says:
Yet again Qantas has given the market to another airline.
Founded in Queensland, Sydney centric.
There is demand from Brisbane and South east Queensland for direct services to Vancouver, San Francisco when will Qantas realise this…..
Al
says:
@Barry, the Qantas gift is to Air Canada ex BNE, not Air NZ with direct flights on the 787. QF via LAX is similar time wise to going via NZ.
David
says:
Would like to see Qantas pursue year round flights to YVR. They seem to be pipped at the post every time by Air Canada, and Air New Zealand to name a few. Hopefully they will increase the 787 orders to be able to do this.
Herb
says:
It’s just horrible not to use the 787 on this route. I live in Montreal, Canada and I traveled all the way to Singapore just to avoid the 777 and to experience the 787 on NZ281/282 and it was really wonderful. 9-abreast 787 feels fine and not too crowded but I would imagine just how tight a 10-abreast 777 would be. Plus the outdated interior and lack of mood lighting makes it worse.
Steve
says:
There is NOT enough demand to fly to Vancouver from BNE. Air Canada already has the small amount that is there. The same goes for San Fran – they fly from Sydney for a reason
Robyn
says:
Air Canada flies direct Vancouver / Sydney.
When is QANTAS going to offer competition
Gary
says:
Robyn,
I think you will find that once QF have critical mass with their B789s they will be opening a number of new routes. It is no use trying to fill a B747-400 when the competition is using more economical B789.
Craig
says:
@Robyn
Qantas does operate to Vancouver from Sydney during the northern Summer using B744 aircraft. Just not everyday.
@ Gary, Qantas have said that the second four B789 will be used to open new routes. They haven’t said where yet for obvious reasons
Lechuga
says:
Mel-Jnb and Mel-Sfo could be profitable with the 789, I’m fairly sure there’s rumours of a Mel-Dfw.
Gary
says:
Craig – I agree; however, I would think it is a safe bet that QF will be operating more than their initial order of 8 with a commensurate expanded route map.
David
says:
Qantas have so far announced they have a total of eight 787’s on order through to mid 2019. These will all arrive in Australia by the end of next year, 2018. If they ordered say two more to arrive by mid 2019, that would place ten in the fleet. That isn’t enough for 747 fleet replacement and all the new routes mentioned. They need to take advantage of the additional orders before all the new routes can be commenced.
Also, does anyone know what will happen to any South African and South American routes when the last 747’s are doe to retire? The reason I ask, is these routes require planes with four engines.
Al
says:
@ David, it’s a myth that flights to South America and Africa need aircraft with 4 engines.
LAN will fly to Chile with the two engined 787 ex MEL to Santiago (SCL) from 6th October.
There was period where V Australia flew the 777-300ER to South Africa on the MEL-JNB route which was not economic due to the twin engine aircraft safety restrictions.
The route is only 10,339 kilometres – about the same as AKL-LAX, however rules governing the operation of twin-engine aircraft required V Australia to add more than two hours to the flight in each direction. This was to ensure they were within about 1500 kilometres of the nearest airport if anything went wrong – a maximum of three hours flying on one engine if the other engine had to be shut down.
Brenda Wilson
says:
Air New Zealand have been flying twin engine aircraft direct AKL-EZE (Buenos Aires) since 2 DEC 2015 The Airline started with the 777-200 doing this 12hour flight and is now operating the 787 into Buenos Aires. A fabulous place to visit.
Mike
says:
I agree with @Steve regarding capacity limitations on the BNE/YVR route.
When Air Canada commenced operations they used their B787-8. Later the larger B787-9 was substituted. In November 2016 when I flew BNE-YVR the B787-9 was perhaps only half full in economy. The route is again serviced by the B787-8.
Seasonal demand may have accounted for the larger equipment, perhaps in anticipation of Christmas holiday traffic.
It does not appear that demand has warranted year round operation of the series 9 Dreamliner.
iscover
Bill
says:What about Calgary next ?
Stephen Boyce
says:I would like to see the boeing 787-9 or 777-300ER on the route
Barry
says:Yet again Qantas has given the market to another airline.
Founded in Queensland, Sydney centric.
There is demand from Brisbane and South east Queensland for direct services to Vancouver, San Francisco when will Qantas realise this…..
Al
says:@Barry, the Qantas gift is to Air Canada ex BNE, not Air NZ with direct flights on the 787. QF via LAX is similar time wise to going via NZ.
David
says:Would like to see Qantas pursue year round flights to YVR. They seem to be pipped at the post every time by Air Canada, and Air New Zealand to name a few. Hopefully they will increase the 787 orders to be able to do this.
Herb
says:It’s just horrible not to use the 787 on this route. I live in Montreal, Canada and I traveled all the way to Singapore just to avoid the 777 and to experience the 787 on NZ281/282 and it was really wonderful. 9-abreast 787 feels fine and not too crowded but I would imagine just how tight a 10-abreast 777 would be. Plus the outdated interior and lack of mood lighting makes it worse.
Steve
says:There is NOT enough demand to fly to Vancouver from BNE. Air Canada already has the small amount that is there. The same goes for San Fran – they fly from Sydney for a reason
Robyn
says:Air Canada flies direct Vancouver / Sydney.
When is QANTAS going to offer competition
Gary
says:Robyn,
I think you will find that once QF have critical mass with their B789s they will be opening a number of new routes. It is no use trying to fill a B747-400 when the competition is using more economical B789.
Craig
says:@Robyn
Qantas does operate to Vancouver from Sydney during the northern Summer using B744 aircraft. Just not everyday.
@ Gary, Qantas have said that the second four B789 will be used to open new routes. They haven’t said where yet for obvious reasons
Lechuga
says:Mel-Jnb and Mel-Sfo could be profitable with the 789, I’m fairly sure there’s rumours of a Mel-Dfw.
Gary
says:Craig – I agree; however, I would think it is a safe bet that QF will be operating more than their initial order of 8 with a commensurate expanded route map.
David
says:Qantas have so far announced they have a total of eight 787’s on order through to mid 2019. These will all arrive in Australia by the end of next year, 2018. If they ordered say two more to arrive by mid 2019, that would place ten in the fleet. That isn’t enough for 747 fleet replacement and all the new routes mentioned. They need to take advantage of the additional orders before all the new routes can be commenced.
Also, does anyone know what will happen to any South African and South American routes when the last 747’s are doe to retire? The reason I ask, is these routes require planes with four engines.
Al
says:@ David, it’s a myth that flights to South America and Africa need aircraft with 4 engines.
LAN will fly to Chile with the two engined 787 ex MEL to Santiago (SCL) from 6th October.
There was period where V Australia flew the 777-300ER to South Africa on the MEL-JNB route which was not economic due to the twin engine aircraft safety restrictions.
The route is only 10,339 kilometres – about the same as AKL-LAX, however rules governing the operation of twin-engine aircraft required V Australia to add more than two hours to the flight in each direction. This was to ensure they were within about 1500 kilometres of the nearest airport if anything went wrong – a maximum of three hours flying on one engine if the other engine had to be shut down.
Brenda Wilson
says:Air New Zealand have been flying twin engine aircraft direct AKL-EZE (Buenos Aires) since 2 DEC 2015 The Airline started with the 777-200 doing this 12hour flight and is now operating the 787 into Buenos Aires. A fabulous place to visit.
Mike
says:I agree with @Steve regarding capacity limitations on the BNE/YVR route.
When Air Canada commenced operations they used their B787-8. Later the larger B787-9 was substituted. In November 2016 when I flew BNE-YVR the B787-9 was perhaps only half full in economy. The route is again serviced by the B787-8.
Seasonal demand may have accounted for the larger equipment, perhaps in anticipation of Christmas holiday traffic.
It does not appear that demand has warranted year round operation of the series 9 Dreamliner.