Rise in Air NZ passengers

WELLINGTON: Air New Zealand’s passenger numbers rose in April as tourists continue to flood into the country, bolstered by the timing of the Easter holiday.

Aucklandbased Air NZ increased passenger numbers 6.6% to 1.29 million in April from the same month a year earlier, and expanded its available seat kilometres (Ask) 2.3% to 3.18 billion, a monthly investor update said.

Of that, domestic passenger numbers climbed 6.7% to 849,000 and Ask rose 8.4% to 526 million.

The airline’s update shows passenger numbers have climbed 4.3% to 13.4 million in the 10 months to April 30, and Ask has expanded 6.1% to 35.6 billion.

The April numbers were boosted by Easter being in that month this year.

The national carrier has also been a beneficiary of tourism numbers hitting new highs.

Government data shows shortterm visitor arrivals, which include tourists, people visiting family and friends and people travelling for work, reached 3.599 million in the year ended April, up 10% from a year earlier and a new annual record.

Visitor arrivals numbered 311,900 in April 2017.

This was up 21% from April 2016.

Air NZ’s longhaul passenger numbers rose 3.2% in April to 153,000 and were up 4.2% in the year to date at 1.71 million.

Its Tasman/Pacific routes posted a 7.9% increase in passenger numbers to 283,000.

However, its Asia, Japan, Singapore routes showed a 1.2% fall to 61,000 in the month but are up 3.5% on the year to 703,000.

Meanwhile, Auckland International Airport’s monthly traffic figures published earlier this week show international passenger numbers — excluding transits — increased by 15% to 861,292 in April versus the same month a year earlier. — BusinessDesk