iscover
Air New Zealand is adding extra seats and tweaking the schedule of its Auckland-Honolulu services to offer more connecting options at both ends of the route.
The increase in capacity will come through replacing the Boeing 767-300ER currently on the route with the 787-9 Dreamliner from May 2016 on the airline’s four times a week service.
Air NZ’s 767s feature 230 seats across business and economy, while the 787-9 is configured with 302 seats across three classes – 18 business, 21 premium economy and 263 economy – and has the airline’s newest cabin products.
“We’re looking forward to taking the 787-9 Dreamliner to Honolulu – not only will the aircraft allow us to deliver a significant capacity increase on the route but we’ll also be able to improve the experience our customers have on board with new inflight product, including our award-winning economy Skycouch and premium economy product which offers greater space and comfort,” Air NZ chief sales and commercial officer Cam Wallace said in a statement on Thursday.
The schedule changes will kick in from March 29 2016, with the outbound flight from Auckland shifting to an evening departure and morning arrival in Honolulu. Currently Air NZ’s flights to Honolulu leave in the morning.
The schedule change means the return service will depart Honolulu in the morning and arrive back in Auckland in the afternoon.
“These changes will better enable customers based in New Zealand’s regional centres and Australia to fly to Honolulu within the one day, rather than needing to overnight in Auckland as many currently do,” Wallace said.
“In turn, the revised arrival time in Honolulu allows customers to conveniently connect onto domestic services in Hawaii.”
While it is maintaining a four times a week schedule to Hawaii – apart from peak periods such as school holidays when a fifth flight is added – the airline is shifting its Sunday flights to Fridays.
Air NZ competes with Hawaiian Airlines’ three times a week offering on the Auckland-Honolulu route with Airbus A330-200s.
Don
says:Isn’t it to be expected that Air New Zealand will soon replace all 767 routes with the 787?
Steven
says:The 787 will easily compete with the A330.
Jarden
says:Not just yet as the 767s will stay around for two more years till 2017.
Jackie
says:How disappointing. We currently regularly transit Honolulu on our way back to Canada as the current plane has two seat configuration on both sides of the aisles. This helps us avoid the dreaded middle seat on the majority of the flight.
Guess we’ll be skipping the Honolulu flight now. No point. Why do more airlines not recognize that (a) basically no one travels in a group of 3, and (b) EVERYONE hates the middle seat? Use some ingenuity, come up with a new configuration that doesn’t have one!!!
charles
says:Spot on Jackie
The best layout 2 4 2
Airbus A330 all the way.
Wait for the A330 neo
Peter
says:The 767’s have been a disgraceful joke for years and long overdue for replacement as every frequent flyer knows.. At long last a bit of stiff competition is coming for Air NZ so surprise surprise, the plane gets upgraded. Astute observers know that what Air NZ giveth, the airline taketh away elsewhere eg loss of Air NZ lounge LAX replaced by a Star Alliance lounge means Koru members are stiffed as they don’t get access.. Also 777’s get 10 seats across instead of the nine found in all other civilized airlines means smaller seats, narrower aisles, less comfort, no leg room.. I could go on… There are lots of hits to loyal Air points members creeping in.. Don’t join air points unless you do a lot of regular flying.. It’s not worth it. Ugh
Broderick
says:@ Jarden, Air New Zealand’s 767 Fleet will start departing from March 2016 now.
Alan
says:767’s will be used in the new ‘seasonal’ route from NZ to Vietnam from June through October 2016
Rocket
says:I wouldn’t join Airpoints again, a waste of time with points expiry which is why I never used it before. Qantas and other airlines don’t let their points expire. I haven’t flown a domestic or international sector for a year (I just haven’t flown), yet I still have 580,000 QF FF points. While all airlines are cutting back on FF points and/or increasing requirement to cash them in, QFFF still beats Airpoints.