Auckland Airport welcomes United Airlines

9 October 2015

Auckland Airport welcomes United Airlines

Auckland Airport welcomes the announcement that United Airlines will start a San Francisco to Auckland service in July 2016, using a B787 Dreamliner aircraft.

Norris Carter, Auckland Airport’s general manager - aeronautical commercial, says, “United Airlines last flew into Auckland Airport in 2003 and we are delighted to welcome them back. This new service is expected to deliver an additional 140,000 seats every year on the North American route, and contribute $190 million annually to the New Zealand economy.”

“The United States is our country’s third largest international visitor market, after Australia and China. In the year to 31 August 2015, 236,272 Americans visited New Zealand, an 11.2% increase on the previous year, and approximately 80% of them arrived at Auckland Airport.”

“The new United Airlines service will improve our air connectivity to North America. It provides greater airline choice for both the growing numbers of American visitors coming to New Zealand, particularly from beyond United Airlines’ San Francisco hub, and the increasing number of New Zealanders travelling to the United States. It also improves air connectivity for United Airlines customers who can use Auckland Airport as a southern hub to connect them to destinations in New Zealand, the Pacific Islands and Australia.”

The new United Airlines service will operate from the airline’s main West Coast hub. It will connect with 280 daily flights between San Francisco and more than 90 destinations in North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia / Pacific. It adds a convenient, one-stop service between Auckland and more than 44 cities in the United States, including more than 40 cities that do not already have a single-carrier, one-stop service to Auckland.

“United Airlines will operate its new service to Auckland Airport in partnership with Air New Zealand. Auckland Airport welcomes airline alliances that increase air connectivity and provide consumer choice and competition,” says Mr Carter.

Ends

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