New competitor for flights to China
Starting today, China Southern Airlines is offering direct daily flights to China from Auckland.
Starting today, China Southern Airlines is offering direct daily flights to China.
The service connects Auckland to the city of Guangzhou; China’s third-largest city and a trade region already interacting with several New Zealand businesses.
Auckland Airport's aeronautical commercial general manager Glenn Wedlock says increasing air connections to high-growth markets like China is essential for New Zealand's economic success.
“There is a proven link between regular air services and economic growth, and it’s predicted that this increased direct service to Guangzhou will boost New Zealand’s economy by an estimated $100 million from in-bound tourism.”
The number of Chinese visitors into Auckland Airport in 2011 increased by 26.5% on last year – a growth trend that is expected to continue.
The increased service is also expected to help push China ahead of the United States as New Zealand’s third largest tourism market.
China Southern Airlines is the world's third largest airline as measured by passengers carried and Asia's largest airline in terms of both fleet size and passengers carried.
Flight time from Auckland to Guangzhou is approximately 11.5 hours.
Charlotte Woodfield
Tue, 01 Nov 2011
Tue, 01 Nov 2011
© All content copyright NBR. Do not reproduce in any form without permission, even if you have a paid subscription.
New competitor for flights to China
17628