Auckland Welcomes Back Sichuan Airlines Strengthening New Zealand-China Air Links

Wednesday, April 17, 2024

Auckland Airport celebrates the return of a complete lineup of Chinese airlines with the comeback of Sichuan Airlines. This revival, accompanied by the introduction of new flight paths, reflects China’s increasing assurance in long-distance air travel.

This afternoon’s touchdown of Sichuan Airlines at Auckland from Chengdu Tianfu International Airport signifies a significant moment, marking the sixth airline that connects New Zealand to China after a hiatus of four years.

Scott Tasker, Chief Customer Officer at Auckland Airport, said there will be seven destinations in China available to travellers from April, collectively flying 36 times a week and representing seat capacity recovery of 115% compared to 2019, over the New Zealand winter season.

“We are seeing that Chinese airlines have confidence in the travel market between New Zealand and China, bringing high-value Chinese visitors who see us as a highly attractive destination to visit.”

Chinese travelers, who primarily favored short-haul destinations last year, are now expected to broaden their horizons in 2024 and explore more long-haul options. In February, a popular travel month due to Chinese New Year, New Zealand welcomed 38,000 visitors from China, marking a 74% recovery compared to the same month in 2019.

This increasing trend indicates that New Zealand remains highly appealing to those seeking a unique Kiwi experience, particularly independent travelers from China. The composition of Chinese visitors is shifting towards more independent exploration, with 85% opting for this style of travel in Q4 2023 compared to 71% in 2019. Conversely, the preference for group tours has decreased to 15% from 29% in 2019.

Mr Tasker said the new routes of Haikou from Hainan Airlines and Hangzhou from China Eastern Airlines provide even more ways for New Zealand Chinese to connect with friends and family.
“We have close to 300,000 Chinese living in New Zealand who want to visit family and the Chinese airlines flying into New Zealand have significant connecting hubs which travellers can use to reach North and Southeast Asia, the United Kingdom and Europe. That provides more competition and choice for travellers.” 

Sichuan Airlines’ resumption of flights from Chengdu opens up a gateway for travelers to explore the province renowned for one of the four great traditions of Chinese cuisine, as well as being a crucial hub for the conservation and protection of endangered giant pandas.

Mr Tasker said this expansion of routes to New Zealand’s number one trading partner was also good news for export businesses, with direct air connections enabling high value products to be efficiently delivered into markets where they can attract the highest price.

“With the bellyhold of passenger aircraft traditionally providing 80% of Auckland Airport’s air freight capacity, over the next six months, we expect 12,000 tonnes of air freight capacity to be available for exporters to send high-value goods to discerning Chinese consumers,” he said.

“These expanded routes and resumption of Sichuan Airlines’ flights will not only reunite families and friends but also serve as bridges connecting our peoples, cultures and economies. We can expect to see a boost in economic activity and opportunities on both ends.”

Editor’s Note:

• Auckland Airport will be hosting a welcoming event on April 17 to celebrate the return of Sichuan Airlines. The event will be graced by the Governor of Sichuan Province and the Vice Chairman of Sichuan Airlines.
• In April 2023, the number of Chinese tourists visiting New Zealand for leisure surpassed those visiting friends and relatives for the first time. This trend has continued, with leisure travelers constituting 63% of visits in the last quarter, while visits to friends and relatives accounted for 21%, and business visits for 7%.
• In 2019, New Zealand welcomed 17,800 visitors from Sichuan Province, with 85% of them arriving for leisure purposes.

Overview of Auckland-China flights:

• Air China operates 4 flights per week to Beijing (increasing to 7 flights per week in July).
• Air New Zealand offers daily flights to Shanghai.
• China Eastern flies to Shanghai daily and also operates a new route to Hangzhou (via Sydney) four times a week.
• China Southern provides daily flights to Guangzhou (increasing to 14 flights per week in July).
• Hainan Airlines has launched a new route with three flights per week to Haikou and three flights per week to Shenzhen.
• Sichuan Airlines operates one flight per week to Chengdu.

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