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Delta to Start Service to New Zealand from Los Angeles

Delta to Start Service to New Zealand from Los Angeles

Old Jan 18, 23, 1:37 pm
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Delta to Start Service to New Zealand from Los Angeles

According to Airline Weekly, Delta will launch service from LAX to New Zealand later this year. Delta President Glen Hauenstein apparently told staff last week that the carrier will launch a new Auckland nonstop from Los Angeles. Curious if there is anymore news on this?
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Old Jan 18, 23, 4:04 pm
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Originally Posted by sc001
According to Airline Weekly, Delta will launch service from LAX to New Zealand later this year. Delta President Glen Hauenstein apparently told staff last week that the carrier will launch a new Auckland nonstop from Los Angeles. Curious if there is anymore news on this?
No! I havent heard anything about it! Ill believe it when I see it! Fingers crossed!
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Old Jan 18, 23, 4:31 pm
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Assume this will be on the A339, A359 seems a bit big for this route considering DL has no connecting traffic on the other end (I believe UA runs 777s but has ANZ on the other end and AA runs the 787 with QF kind of on the other end but requiring an extra connection)
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Old Jan 18, 23, 4:39 pm
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Originally Posted by Duke787
Assume this will be on the A339, A359 seems a bit big for this route considering DL has no connecting traffic on the other end (I believe UA runs 777s but has ANZ on the other end and AA runs the 787 with QF kind of on the other end but requiring an extra connection)
I didn't realize that the A339 had the range. But, it does and that would probably be the right sized plane for that route. IIRC, AA no longer flies LAX-AKL. I'm still hoping that someone starts LAX or SFO-CHC.

I'd be totally interested in flying this route, but it will probably take a ton of SkyMiles);
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Old Jan 18, 23, 5:01 pm
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I would be thrilled if this happens! My family will be traveling back to the US from AKL in early January next year. We really want to fly on Delta due to our status, but right now our only option would be to fly 3.5 hours from AKL to SYD, then 14 hours from SYD to LAX. This would be wonderful if it works out!
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Old Jan 18, 23, 6:03 pm
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Originally Posted by Duke787
A359 seems a bit big for this route considering DL has no connecting traffic on the other end
This is the biggest reason I'm surprised Delta isn't ordering the 787, since it's perfect for missions like this. The AA 787-8 for instance has capacity for 234 passengers, compared to Delta's capacity of 281 for the A330-900neo, 306 for the A350-900.
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Old Jan 18, 23, 6:22 pm
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Originally Posted by SJC ORD LDR
I didn't realize that the A339 had the range. But, it does and that would probably be the right sized plane for that route. IIRC, AA no longer flies LAX-AKL. I'm still hoping that someone starts LAX or SFO-CHC.

I'd be totally interested in flying this route, but it will probably take a ton of SkyMiles);
Good point, I think AA is just flying it DFW - AKL these days.

Originally Posted by hi55us
This is the biggest reason I'm surprised Delta isn't ordering the 787, since it's perfect for missions like this. The AA 787-8 for instance has capacity for 234 passengers, compared to Delta's capacity of 281 for the A330-900neo, 306 for the A350-900.
Agreed but I guess they've concluded the subfleet isn't worth it, cheaper to upgauge to the A339 on these longer, thinner routes to keep the widebody fleet all Airbus.

Presumably they did the math based on their experience with the old 777 subfleet and determined that between the A339 and the A35X they have things covered. Also worth considering that at the time they placed these bets, they had a solid ANZ partner in Virgin Australia so they could reasonably rely on offering their loyal customers an option to get to AKL via SYD but now they can't do that so the A339 is the only way to capitalize on the New Zealand demand.
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Old Jan 18, 23, 7:03 pm
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Will make NZ<--->USA a market with an over supply of capacity. Some of the existing are seasonable. Or being changed from daily to less than 7 days a week.

Airlines that fly USA/Canada to/from New Zealand (not from all airports to all airports).
Following the pandemic routes are being re-established and with some new routes. Schedules can change. Route restart dates subject to change.
  • American Airlines AA . DFW-AKL due to start 29 Oct 2022 to 25 Mar 2023(new route) Pre CV19 AA flew LAX-AKL and was due to fly LAX-CHC 3 days a week from Oct 2020. [Oneworld Alliance]
  • Air Canada AC YVR AKL Due to restart 12 Nov 2022 [Star Alliance]
  • Air New Zealand NZ LAX SFO IAH JFK YVR ORD AKL. JFK started 17 Sep 2022.[Star Alliance]
  • Air Tahiti Nui TN LAX PPT - AKL (AA partner)
  • Fiji Airways FJ LAX SFO HNL NAN - AKL WLG CHC. (QF AA & AS partner).
  • Hawaiian HA HNL AKL (AA & VA partner)
  • Qantas QF SYD-AKL-JFK planned from June 2023. LAX SFO DFW JFK HNL YVR* via SYD BNE & MEL. {* seasonal} [Oneworld Alliance])
  • United UA SFO AKL [Star Alliance]
  • And others via Australia, South America, Asia & Middle East
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Old Jan 18, 23, 9:14 pm
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Originally Posted by Mwenenzi
Will make NZ<--->USA a market with an over supply of capacity. Some of the existing are seasonable. Or being changed from daily to less than 7 days a week.

Airlines that fly USA/Canada to/from New Zealand (not from all airports to all airports).
Following the pandemic routes are being re-established and with some new routes. Schedules can change. Route restart dates subject to change.
  • American Airlines AA . DFW-AKL due to start 29 Oct 2022 to 25 Mar 2023(new route) Pre CV19 AA flew LAX-AKL and was due to fly LAX-CHC 3 days a week from Oct 2020. [Oneworld Alliance]
  • Air Canada AC YVR AKL Due to restart 12 Nov 2022 [Star Alliance]
  • Air New Zealand NZ LAX SFO IAH JFK YVR ORD AKL. JFK started 17 Sep 2022.[Star Alliance]
  • Air Tahiti Nui TN LAX PPT - AKL (AA partner)
  • Fiji Airways FJ LAX SFO HNL NAN - AKL WLG CHC. (QF AA & AS partner).
  • Hawaiian HA HNL AKL (AA & VA partner)
  • Qantas QF SYD-AKL-JFK planned from June 2023. LAX SFO DFW JFK HNL YVR* via SYD BNE & MEL. {* seasonal} [Oneworld Alliance])
  • United UA SFO AKL [Star Alliance]
  • And others via Australia, South America, Asia & Middle East
I don't know if I would count connections via Australia as part of over expansion into New Zealand becasue it's a significant back track to go from the US to Australia to NZ. I'd only consider it if I needed a bunch some qual miles.

When I went in 2009, Air NZ was the only real option from the mainland US to NZ via only SFO and LAX. But, they were flying 747s at the time. I think HA has had a HNL-AKL for a long time since it links two of the largest Polynesian cities.
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Old Jan 18, 23, 9:23 pm
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Originally Posted by SJC ORD LDR
I didn't realize that the A339 had the range. But, it does and that would probably be the right sized plane for that route. IIRC, AA no longer flies LAX-AKL. I'm still hoping that someone starts LAX or SFO-CHC.

I'd be totally interested in flying this route, but it will probably take a ton of SkyMiles);
AA does DFW-AKL now.
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Old Jan 18, 23, 9:25 pm
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Originally Posted by SJC ORD LDR
I don't know if I would count connections via Australia as part of over expansion into New Zealand because it's a significant back track to go from the US to Australia to NZ. I'd only consider it if I needed a bunch some qual miles.

When I went in 2009, Air NZ was the only real option from the mainland US to NZ via only SFO and LAX. But, they were flying 747s at the time. I think HA has had a HNL-AKL for a long time since it links two of the largest Polynesian cities.
Not every one going to NZ has a final destination of AKL and not everyone going to Australia has a final destination of SYD.
Transiting in the other country for direct flight to you final destination works. Transiting in AKL airside beats the SYD T1 to SYD T2/T3 bus-train shuffle (~4km). Are trans Tasman flights to/from a range of airports. At times Air NZ has had big sales pitches for ADL/ MEL to USA via AKL. AU-NZ is a single aviation market.

A map from the Great Circle Mapper - Great Circle Mapper
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Old Jan 18, 23, 9:27 pm
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I wonder if DL considered codesharing on LATAM SYD-AKL-SCL route. You can book the SYD/AKL as standalone so that's not an issue. In fact I knew a number of QF flyers that would book that to get a widebody.
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Old Jan 18, 23, 9:29 pm
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Originally Posted by flyerCO
AA does DFW-AKL now.
Which as someone who lives on the west coast is a useless route.
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Old Jan 18, 23, 9:33 pm
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Originally Posted by Mwenenzi
Not every one going to NZ has a final destination of AKL and not everyone going to Australia has a final destination of SYD.
Transiting in the other country for direct flight to you final destination works. Transiting in AKL airside beats the SYD T1 to SYD T2/T3 bus-train shuffle (~4km). Are trans Tasman flights to/from a range of airports. At times Air NZ has had big sales pitches for ADL/ MEL to USA via AKL. AU-NZ is a single aviation market.

A map from the Great Circle Mapper - Great Circle Mapper
I know. I remember there were plenty of people who went SFO-AKL-SYD. I flew SFO-AKL-CHC and cleared customs in CHC. I just don't think many people would fly SFO - SYD - AKL.
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Old Jan 18, 23, 9:40 pm
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Originally Posted by SJC ORD LDR
Which as someone who lives on the west coast is a useless route.
Not everything revolves around the west coast. DFW serves a market that till now had to make it to LAX to connect. Just because it's useless for you, doesn't mean it's useless for others.
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