Air New Zealand and Cathay Pacific have launched a strategic alliance which will see both airlines codeshare on the others’ services on the Auckland-Hong Kong route and offer reciprocal frequent flyer benefits effective January 31 2013.
The agreement, which has received New Zealand regulatory approval, is intended not only to optimise performance on the route from existing demand, but to attract additional inbound Chinese visitation to New Zealand using Cathay’s Hong Kong hub.
Air New Zealand CEO Rob Fyfe said: “Hong Kong is a key strategic Pacific Rim port and an important gateway to Mainland China for Air New Zealand. This agreement with Cathay Pacific will provide our passengers with a huge range of additional connections through Hong Kong to Mainland China, as well as access to better-value fares on these connections on Cathay Pacific or its sister airline Dragonair.”
Meanwhile, Air New Zealand will terminate the Hong Kong-London service it introduced in 2006. The 777-200 capacity freed up by the change will be redeployed to the US. The withdrawal comes into effect on March 4.
The combined Air NZ and Cathay schedule on AKL-HKG from January 31 is as follows:
From HKG to AKL
|
|
Departure Time |
Arrival Time |
Total Flying Hours |
|
CX117/NZ4992 |
15:25 |
07:30+1 |
11:05 |
|
CX197/NZ4994 |
21:00 |
13:10+1 |
11:10 |
|
NZ38 / 80/CX7401 |
19:20 |
11:15+1 |
10:55 |
From AKL to HKG
|
|
Departure Time |
Arrival Time |
Total Flying Hours |
|
CX118/NZ4993 |
08:55 |
15:20 |
11:25 |
|
CX198/NZ4995 |
14:25 |
20:50 |
11:25 |
|
NZ35 / 85/CX7402 |
23:59 |
06:05+1 |
11:06 |
