Air New Zealand today said it had applied to the Transport Ministry for the necessary regulatory approvals to start non-stop flights between Auckland and Shanghai, in China.
The airline said it would also soon apply to Chinese authorities and seek landing slots at Shanghai's Pudong Airport.
"Under current bilateral agreements
New Zealand airlines have rights to operate up to seven return services per week to China," Air New Zealand marketing manager Norm Thompson said.
Because the airline is seeking to fly to a new country, the process to gain regulatory approval will take about six months, he said.
"Our expectations are that we will begin selling fares from early-mid next year, with services to commence towards the end of 2006."
Air NZ will initially seek approval for a service operating three times per week using its new 313-seat Boeing 777-200 extended range aircraft.
Flights will take nearly 13 hours northbound and an hour less southbound.
Mr Thomson said the company had done substantial market research before committing to the service.
More than 84,000 people visited New Zealand from China in 2004, up 28 per cent on 2003, while 45,000 New Zealanders travelled to China over the same period, up 38 per cent on 2003.
China is now the fifth most-visited country for New Zealanders behind Australia, Fiji, the United States and Britain.
Tourism Research Council forecasts predict the number of Chinese visiting New Zealand will grow to more than 110,000 in 2007, rising to 188,000 by 2011.
"If the service becomes as successful as we expect it will be, we look forward to increasing to daily flights in the longer term," Mr Thompson said.
- NZPA
