garbs

That would work, and it would be even better if they can time it with the PER-AKL service so that it doesn't involve such a long layover in AKL like what currently happens right now.

pepsi1336

ORD makes little sense. Too far north and east to offer viable connections to Central America, Mexico, Caribbean, and South and South Eastern USA which would involve big side/backtracks from ORD on an already very long flight.
Not to mention, the key USA east coast markets (JFK, EWR, IAD, BOS, MIA etc) are much more direct through IAH than ORD

nwa330

The elevation at DEN would not allow a 777 at MTOW. I doubt DEN is in the running. Base on a Boeing chart looks like you need to be 100k less the MTOW to get off the ground in DEN. Thats about 20% less. I would think that would be pushing it to AKL.

http://www.boeing.com/assets/pdf/com...s/7772sec3.pdf

Kiwi Flyer

DEN-AKL is 25% longer distance than DEN-NRT.

JANZFlyer

Other than MIA the flight times from ORD to JFK, EWR, IAD and BOS are shorter - many by around an hour, when compared to IAH.
The point about direct connections to central and upper Sth America is a good one, one-stop would certainly make it more attractive to get to, particularly given the LAN monopoly into South America currently.

pepsi1336

Yes, but a flight from AKL-IAH would have to be at least 1.5-2 hrs shorter than an AKL-ORD flight.

steveo

If NZ wanted to get the Central America / Mexico / Caribbean and Northern South America routes they would route through Panama City with COPA. Think about it, its much closer, you don't need to go through immigration to transfer, no security, and newer / nicer planes.

The Perth market is interesting, does anyone know how much longer it would take to go Emirates via Dubai? Someone told me it would be close to the same but it may be BS?

Personally I hope its ORD - if you do I will be a customer. There are also a few companies here in Chicago that do quite a bit of business in New Zealand.

adambisi

Overall travel distance is virtually the same for much of the northeast - both routings to BOS for example would be over slightly over 9000 miles.

However, AKL-ORD-MIA is 1000 miles longer that AKL-IAH-MIA

AKL-PTY makes a lot of sense connections wise - just need ETOPS 180 or 240. Having 180 requires a swipe toward Galapagos.

It would be a ballsy move if NZ started the route. Could connect to major US Destinations west of IAH/ORD, major Latin America + Caribbean, and secondary Brazil

Assuming East Coast Destination-DXB-PER and East Coast Destination-LAX/DFW/SFO-SYD-PER:

From BOS, routing through DXB is only 100 miles longer distance wise but EK offers the only 1-stop itinerary. The further west or South you go the distance increases through DXB. For example, from JFK its 500 miles longer

I checked total travel times and EK has the shortest travel times (both ways combined) for BOS-PER-BOS and it could be quicker but there are > 2.5 hr layovers on both ends in DXB. From JFK, CX actually has the shortest travel times though the connection is rather tight towards PER in HKG.

PLeblond

Your points are accurate, however, I think that would only work if a large percentage of the passengers on the flight were flying to Central/South America. I highly doubt there would be enough traffic to fill planes to those destinations and those connecting to the US would most likely still prefer routing through LAX/SFO.

Should a smaller percentage of traffic be geared to SA/CA (say 30% to 40%), IAH is still a reasonable alternative and allows the 60%-70% transiting to the US to chose it , withe better connections to the Southeast and roughly equivalent to the Northeast.

mh3265a

I would think IAH as the choice and that would also explain why UA didn't start 787 service from IAH to ACK.

mattyroo

Talking of ballsy... You would want your big-boy pants on landing or taking off in a 777 at Baltra. It's pretty damn short and drink at both ends...

Then the terminal is tiny and everyone has to be carted off the island by this tiny little ferry.

mattyroo

AirNZ shouldn't be trying to compete with Emirates for West Coast of Oz to East Coast of US - they'll never compete. Emirates' low wage Eastern European cabin crew are a much lower cost than AirNZ can ever run and their volumes just make them ultra-competitive.

What AirNZ should be trying to pick-up is the large business market out of southern US bound for Eastern and Western Australian States.

Houston - Perth is 3000m shorter via AKL, than it is via DXB, and a minimum 2000m shorter still to the East Coast of Oz.

sbiddle

Anybody know what the actual flight time would be from AKL to IAD or ORD?

PLeblond

Obviously its dependant on winds, attitude, etc. but this might give you an idea:

AKL-IAH 11,933km
AKL-ORD 13,170km

As a comparison, AC operates SYD-YVR at 12,484km. Its on a 777 which is roughly the same cruise speed as the 788. Rough average flight time (not gate to gate) is about 13:45.

So I would ball park AKL-IAH as 13ish hours and AKL-ORD as 14:15 (ish).

bhrubin

I agree that AKL-IAH seems the best AnZ choice, but time will tell. I also wonder if this might have been the real reason UA abandoned the IAH-AKL 787 service (instead of the supposedly retributive Hobby-SW charade excuse).

I am still waiting for UA to offer service to AKL, however. It now seems most likely for UA to offer SFO-AKL if it ever opts to open that market.