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Daily AKL to CHC widebody flights during April

Daily AKL to CHC widebody flights during April

Old Mar 12, 2018, 11:05 pm
  #16  
 
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How long it's for is going to depend entirely on what the exact reason is for the 787 flights - the two most obvious are increased capacity on WLG-AKL and the other is to give extra hours to 787 crews who have had downtime. There is another possibility which does also tie in with why PPQ was pulled so quickly - and that's a shortage of ATR crews.
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Old Mar 12, 2018, 11:08 pm
  #17  
 
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Easter and School holidays
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Old Mar 13, 2018, 12:46 pm
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Originally Posted by sbiddle
How long it's for is going to depend entirely on what the exact reason is for the 787 flights - the two most obvious are increased capacity on WLG-AKL and the other is to give extra hours to 787 crews who have had downtime. There is another possibility which does also tie in with why PPQ was pulled so quickly - and that's a shortage of ATR crews.
It looks like they are using an code two 789 - the IAH 789 doesn't have enough time for an return Tasman trip during NS18, therefore they are running it AKL-IAH-AKL-CHC-AKL-IAH etc.
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Old Mar 14, 2018, 1:10 pm
  #19  
 
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What gates(s) do they use at AKL and CHC for these services?
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Old Mar 14, 2018, 1:25 pm
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Originally Posted by sbiddle
What gates(s) do they use at AKL and CHC for these services?
I think CHC has some Swing Gates where the two departure areas meet. The AIrNZ Operation News said something about stairs and if you had mobility issues move to a different flight so at the Akl end makes me think bus gate to a hard stand, as I don't think AKL domestic has any jetway stands capable of a wide body.

https://www.airnewzealand.co.nz/trav...iFg5RP1hqlQF3O
Passengers are required to be able to use aircraft stairs unaided. If you have concerns about accessing the aircraft unaided via the aircraft stairs, alternative services are available. If you have already booked or have been transferred to one of these flights, our contact centre can assist with transferring you to an alternative domestic A320 aircraft service.
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Old Mar 14, 2018, 1:39 pm
  #21  
 
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Originally Posted by cavemanzk
It looks like they are using an code two 789 - the IAH 789 doesn't have enough time for an return Tasman trip during NS18, therefore they are running it AKL-IAH-AKL-CHC-AKL-IAH etc.
SO why the 772 some days to make two wide bodies in a day?

Previously they have had Wide bodies sit at hard stands for the day or sent them along to the hanger for maintenance. A 789 would be very expensive for such a short flight has a lot of empty mass to carry a lot of fuel. In normal operations would be cheaper to offer the same number of seats on A320s which have a lower kg/seat. Back of the envelope the A320 is 250kg per seat and the 789 is 470kg per seat of zero mass, that is a lot more plane to get into the sky.

Sure can understand wide bodies when need to meet surge demand e.g. Rugby but day to day and reducing frequency doesn't lead me to feel that it is just a plane sitting at Auckland. To me an issue with the ATRs or similar is more likely as they are also changing the WLG-CHC flights to A320 and reducing frequency. So a lot of disruption to keep one plane flying rather than having just having it on a hard stand for a day. If they tow them down to the hanger AirNZ doesn't need to pay parking fees.

Last edited by nzkarit; Mar 14, 2018 at 3:38 pm
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Old Mar 14, 2018, 3:10 pm
  #22  
 
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Originally Posted by nzkarit

Sure can understand wide bodies when need to meet surge demand e.g. Rugby but day to day and reducing frequency doesn't lead me to feel that it is just a plane sitting at Auckland. To me an issue with the ATRs or similar is more likely as they are also changing the WLG-CHC flights to A320 and reducing frequency.
WLG-CHC is effectively getting 2 x A320 R/T flights to cover the 2 x R/T flights that are lost WLG-AKL. I too wonder whether the issues are ATR crew related rather than anything else due to the increasing number of ATR flight cancellations now occuring - just look at the number or ATR cancellations yesterday as an example -

NZ5186 Christchurch Palmerston North
NZ5337 Wellington Christchurch
NZ5341 Wellington Christchurch
NZ5360 Christchurch Wellington
NZ5367 Wellington Christchurch
NZ5368 Christchurch Wellington
NZ5373 Wellington Christchurch
NZ5705 Christchurch Invercargill
NZ5706 Invercargill Christchurch
NZ5772 Christchurch Napier
NZ5773 Napier Christchurch
NZ5811 Hamilton Wellington
NZ5843 Nelson Christchurch
NZ8725 Wellington Blenheim
NZ8726 Blenheim Wellington
NZ8781 Rotorua Christchurch
NZ8971 Nelson Christchurch.
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Old Mar 14, 2018, 3:43 pm
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Could it also be for freight lift?
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Old Mar 14, 2018, 4:05 pm
  #24  
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Originally Posted by sbiddle
How long it's for is going to depend entirely on what the exact reason is for the 787 flights - the two most obvious are increased capacity on WLG-AKL and the other is to give extra hours to 787 crews who have had downtime. There is another possibility which does also tie in with why PPQ was pulled so quickly - and that's a shortage of ATR crews.
And may help maintenance. Maintenance/life is based on hours & cycles (take off & departures). Air NZ B787 would be high on hours and low on cycles. Years ago QF had B747's on the SYD - PER route for a period of time, that got more cycles so balanced the hours/cycles ratio.

But there does seem to be an ATR problem.
Air NZ effectually subbing a B787 for an ATR?

Originally Posted by nzkarit
I think CHC has some Swing Gates where the two departure areas meet.
CHC gate 29 (and others?) can be used for domestic & international arrivals/departures. Just a matter of which internal doors are opened/closed.
JQ often use gate 29 as the same aircraft does NZ domestic & Au flights.
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Old Mar 19, 2018, 9:12 pm
  #25  
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The Dreamliner service will be operating almost daily on the Auckland-Christchurch-Auckland routing between 3 April and 2 June.
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Old Mar 20, 2018, 7:50 am
  #26  
 
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Read on 3rd level or MRC blogs can't remember which but there is may be something about them retiring some ATR72-500 earlier than their replacements arrive, May be they found a bulk buyer, so flying them off sooner than planned?
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Old Mar 20, 2018, 6:33 pm
  #27  
 
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Special notice

For the Christchurch to Auckland flight:
  • Check-in closes 60 minutes prior to departure
  • There will be a bus service to transfer passengers to the aircraft
  • The aircraft will be accessed via external stairs
Shame all the options I have looked at are much more expensive than an A320 for not much difference in timings.
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Old Mar 20, 2018, 10:08 pm
  #28  
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Originally Posted by ukflyer1
Shame all the options I have looked at are much more expensive than an A320 for not much difference in timings.
The 787 flights range in price from $59-$220, mostly inline with A320 pricing.
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Old Mar 22, 2018, 8:20 am
  #29  
 
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I've just been checking some AKL-CHC-AKL flights towards the end of April and I could get the 787-9 both ways for NZD208 and 787-9 out and 772 back for NZD258
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Old Mar 25, 2018, 10:01 am
  #30  
 
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I'm looking to visit NZ in June 2018, and I saw these flights available as I will fly AKL-CHC and then HKK-CHC-AKL. I would like to fly the 787-9, and in business class, if possible. Does anyone know if it is possible to book the business class (or even the Y+) on these domestic flights? Would be interesting for me as I almost never get to fly Air NZ.
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