China Southern boosts NZ flights as tourism booms

The China Southern Airlines 787 Dreamliner on the tarmac at Auckland International Airport. Photo / Greg Bowker

China Southern Airlines will move to year round double daily services between Auckland and Guangzhou from August using at Boeing 787-Dreamliner.

The move builds on the summer peak season double-daily service on the "Canton route" and could be worth close to $100 million for the New Zealand economy.

It will lift the year-round flights from 10 to 14 and according to the airline was in response to high demand from Chinese tourists.

"We have great confidence in the Auckland-Guangzhou route due to the high level of tourism demand between China and New Zealand," said Mike Ma, China Southern Airlines' general manager New Zealand,

This airline started flying the Guangzhou to Auckland route in April 2011 with three services a week.

"We have seen strong returns on our investment in the New Zealand market," he said.

Norris Carter, Auckland Airport's general manager aeronautical commercial, said the latest increase in services will add 95,000 seats on the Auckland to Guangzhou route and contribute $97 million to the New Zealand economy,

"China is one of New Zealand's top visitor markets and China Southern Airlines has recognised the opportunity that this represents. Within three years it has increased flights on this route to double-daily in the peak season, and now to this latest offering of double-daily year-round. It is truly impressive to see a route grow so quickly."

China Southern is the third biggest airline in the world and has expanded at a rapid rate from 10 million passengers in 1994 to 101 million last year.

It is trying to broaden its appeal to Kiwi passengers by offering new food, wine and more English speaking crew on flights to and from this country.

New Zealand is increasingly popular with other mainland Chinese airlines.

China Eastern flew a summer service to Auckland and Air China - based in Beijing - is in talks to form a joint venture with Air New Zealand which is likely to see direct links to the Chinese capital