Bali service on way

Emirates plans a new daily service from Auckland to Bali and then on to Dubai from June 14.

The airline will use a Boeing 777-300ER on the route, providing competition to Air New Zealand’s three times a week seasonal service to Denpasar. One agent says the increased competition will help drop prices on the route, which takes about 9 hours and 20 minutes.

Air New Zealand will use a Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Its flights, starting in April, are available on Google Flights for $1430 return that month.

“With another carrier flying into Bali and an increase in capacity we are sure this is going to further grow upcoming booking numbers and potentially help drive airfare prices even lower,” said House of Travel commercial director Brent Thomas.

Emirates said there was strong demand for travel to Bali, and to and from Auckland.

The Boeing 777-300ER has eight seats in first class, 42 in business class and 304 in economy, plus 20 tonnes of bellyhold cargo capacity.

Emirates will next month pull out of flying across the Tasman from Auckland but the new service will offer New Zealand travellers a total of three daily flights to Dubai and beyond, complementing Emirates’ existing non-stop daily service between Auckland and Dubai and its current daily A380 service between Christchurch and Dubai via Sydney.

Travellers will also enjoy a choice of three daily services between Bali to Dubai in the northern summer, as the new flight adds to Emirates’ two existing daily services, which are currently operated by a Boeing 777 300-ER in a two-class configuration.

Bali attracted more than 4.5 million foreign tourist arrivals in 2016, including more than 40,500 New Zealanders.

— Grant Bradley