Nathan Catton

Air New Zealand is operating a fair number of return 787-9 Dreamliner and 777-200 services Auckland to Christchurch in April. The Dreamliner service operates daily (with the exception of Saturday 7th April) while the 777-200 service operates on Tuesday the 10th and Wednesdays' 11th and 18th of April.

The Dreamliner service operates as follows:

From 3-8th April (excluding 7th April):

NZ595 departs AKL at 09:00am arriving in CHC at 10:25am

NZ594 departs CHC at 12:00pm arriving in AKL at 13:20pm

From 9-29th April (daily):

NZ595 departs AKL at 08:00am arriving in CHC at 09:25am

NZ594 departs CHC at 11:00am arriving in AKL at 12:20pm

The 777-200 service operates as follows (Tue 10, Wed 11 & 18 Apr):

NZ597 departs AKL at 15:00pm arriving in CHC at 16:25

NZ596 departs CHC at 18:00pm arriving in AKL at 19:20pm


EDIT: The Dreamliner service will now operated on an almost daily basis from 3rd April until 2nd October. The service may be further extended.

cavemanzk

Training sectors to help build crew hours?

Don't think there going to get to many customers at $459NZD oneway for SeatOnly.

sbiddle

There are also significantly more A320s being used WLG-CHC during April as well, with quite significant timetable changes (ie cutbacks from the 1/2hr to 1hr schedule) to avoid dumping capacity.

Rebound

Yep just had a few of my flights change, which worked out better as they moved me to the more expensive flights so not complaining.

nzkarit

Are there ATR problems on the horizon? If was 789 shake downs why the 772 runs and then why shuffle the ATRs off Wlg-Chc? Or are they just looking after mainline staff hours for the A320 flight and cabin crews?

Bub001

I’m confused...why are the prices on the 777 and 787 so high? Who would pay that? Surely there can’t be any point in the planes flying virtually empty?

Thai-Kiwi

ExpertFlyer shows only full Y fare class as being available, with Y also reflected in a dummy booking on NZ (seat only with my *G number):

BP seats require extra $30
PE seats are 'free' for *G
Y exit row seats require extra $10
Y normal seats ALL cost extra $5

(Can't be bothered with a screenshot)

Nathan Catton

Fares have come down this morning. The 772 flights have come down to $69 while the Dreamliner flights range from $129-$216.

mmonster

I cannot understand why the prices are so high and where the demand is coming from.....

nzkarit

Demand isn't there. A320s are going to Wlg-Chc and dropping frequency. Leaving a glut of ATR72s. Unless there is some maintenance they need to do in a hurry on the ATR72s hence removing them from the Wlg-Chc rotation.

codyc1515

I've had three flights on all different domestic routes in the last three days be disrupted due to these changes. Interestingly the email includes the following comment:

"Note: If you have a domestic connection please note that we will be progressively updating these over the next 2 weeks."

I can see some flights for only $99 each way and on some days the 787 is the cheapest flight. However, looking at these flights I can only see a maximum of 70 seats to be sold (and I'm not going by the seat map, which is looking like a lot has been blocked out).

cavemanzk

https://www.airnewzealand.co.nz/trav...7MMM2vslMFiJL7 - Seems to be comfirmed beyond April now.

sbiddle

789-900 lol

henrus

So is it just April?

cavemanzk

NZ's own websites says over the next couple of months...