Hawaiian Airlines has said that it is planning to launch a direct flight to New Zealand.
The company said that it is intending to launch a new non-stop service between Auckland in New Zealand and its Honolulu hub. When the plan is implemented, the company will become the only US carrier to fly directly into New Zealand. The decision to introduce the new route came after research, which indicated that customer numbers from New Zealand had dwindled after 1999, the year when non-stop flights between the two destinations were reduced.
The carrier’s CEO, Mark Dunkerley, said, ‘New Zealanders are avid travellers and we believe the introduction of new non-stop flights with our winning brand of service will be welcomed in meeting pent-up demand for a Hawaii vacation. At the same time, our new service will offer Hawaii residents easy access to the natural wonders and Maori culture of New Zealand.’
The company is planning to launch the new service on March 13 next year. Flights that connect Auckland to Honolulu will be operating three times a week on a 264-seat Boeing 767-300ER jet. The aircraft will be able to accommodate 18 business-class customers and 246 economy class customers. The itinerary will also allow connecting opportunities from several of Hawaii’s mainland destinations.
Hawaiian Airlines has been growing aggressively in recent times and has added several new international destinations during the past few years. Recently, it launched a flight service to Brisbane, Australia, the second Australian location to be serviced by the company.
