United Airlines brings latest Dreamliner to Auckland
United Airlines will be the first airline to fly the latest model Dreamliner to Auckland, starting services with a 787-10 in early December.
The new plane will fly between Auckland and San Francisco daily over summer. Although it is slightly smaller, at 318 seats, than the Boeing 777-300 it replaces, it will give the airline an opportunity to showcase its four-class product on a near-new plane — the model its joint venture partner Air New Zealand is buying early next decade.
It is also a vote of confidence in non-stop NZ-US flying by the alliance partners ahead of an expected boost in capacity or possibly new routes across the Pacific by rival American Airlines.
American is expected to announce expanded flying soon with the possibilities including more Auckland-Los Angeles services, a new route to Dallas and flying from Christchurch.
The North American market will be further boosted by Air Canada flying between Auckland and Vancouver four times a week from December to the end of March.
United’s director of Australia and New Zealand sales, Julie Reid, said her airline was well established here after resuming operations more than three years ago.
She said there was a huge potential for the US inbound market to expand. Total arrivals to August had grown by nearly 9 per cent to 368,000 for the past 12 months.
Reid said the popular belief that few Americans had passports didn’t match reality. About 46 per cent of the population had passports and were looking to travel more.
The kiwi dollar’s fall was an issue for New Zealanders but many modified their trips by staying at slightly less expensive hotels or not shopping as much, rather than not travelling.