New Zealanders keen to see the sights of Western Japan, including Osaka Castle, will be able to fly directly there three times a week from November. Photo / Lincoln Tan
Air New Zealand will resume a non-stop service between Auckland and Osaka, Japan from November, after suspending the services in 2013.
Three return services will be operated per week from November 2016 to March 2017 using Boeing 767-300 planes.
The flights will be on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays and will
take about 11 hours.
In 2013 Air New Zealand consolidated its services to Japan and suspended the Osaka route to focus on growing its Tokyo Narita services.
Air New Zealand chief strategy, networks and alliances officer Stephen Jones said the demand for flights between New Zealand and Japan had grown significantly.
"Japan is our fifth largest tourism market and visitor numbers to New Zealand from Japan were up 7.6 per cent to 87,328 for the year end December 2015."
The number of New Zealanders travelling to Japan grew 17 per cent to 29,400 for the year ending December 2015.
