Air New Zealand will be one of the longest airlines in the world

Finally, Air New Zealand Confirmed the launch of non-stop flights between New Zealand’s Auckland International Airport (AKL) and New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK) from September 27; Using one of his Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. The route is 14,194 km and slightly longer than the nominal range of the Boeing 787-9, which is 14,010. How are you going to do that then? We explain it immediately. But there is another mystery: the plane will fly for 16 hours, but it will land within minutes of departure.

But as Jack the Ripper put it: “Let’s go through the parts”. First, Greg Foren, the airline’s director, announced the closure of the border due to the epidemic, which has been part of the reopening of international routes for more than two years. Air New Zealand has multiple routes to the United States, one of its main markets, and they have defined the need to fly to New York before the outbreak, as there was a high demand between the two destinations and the project had to be postponed.

As a member Star Alliance, Air New Zealand has a merger agreement with United Airlines, so initially it was thought to fly to Newark Airport, but since it would be a native, they decided to come to Kennedy Airport where they are in contact with other members. Star Alliance. For contacts with United, they will hold Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco and eventually Chicago.

According to Foron:

New York is an iconic but family friendly city, a bucket list item. Now, for the first time, you can take a non-stop flight to the city of Kiwis. In New York, everything is bigger, faster, more exciting and inspiring, and now it’s closer than ever. The United States has always been an important market for us, and this new route reaffirms our commitment to fostering growing tourism opportunities between the two countries. In the six years before COVID, the number of American visitors to New Zealand doubled. Looking at the average cost of U.S. tourists in New Zealand, we estimate that this new route will contribute an additional $ 65 million a year to the local economy. Traditionally, flight numbers 1 and 2 are used for the main route of an aircraft. That would be New York: our primary route. “

However, to achieve such a long route with its Boeing 787-9, the aircraft needs to be reduced in weight to improve range, so it will have a configuration primarily aimed at the premium market, which is important on long-distance routes. . The 787 will have 27 business sleeper seats, 33 premium economy seats, 39 economy skycoach seats (of which 3 seats will become a row sleeper) and 176 economy seats for a total of 265 passengers. According to the aircraft, the operation does not require additional weight controls.

The flight numbers mentioned by Foren for this operation, 1 and 2, were used for his flight to London-Heathrow until before the epidemic, which is not currently running, so they now carry them to his plane. Badge. Flight NZ002 will depart Auckland at 19:40 LT on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays, and land at 19:55 LT in New York-Kennedy, after an average of 16 hours and 15 minutes. The reason for this is that the plane crosses the International Time Line, so it is the same date as the departure from New Zealand, but in New York time, 16 hours after the flight, who arrived almost at the same time. Auckland.

Of course, you will get a full day on the way out, but on the way back you will arrive 2 days later for the same reason. Flight NZ001 departs for NY at 21:55 LT and lands in Auckland after a flight of 17 hours and 35 minutes, arriving at 07:30 LT 2 days after departure from New York.

This route will be the fourth longest in the world and the second longest for the Boeing 787-9. With a distance of 15,300 km from Singapore to New York (JFK and Newark) and nearly 19 hours, Singapore Airlines is currently the longest; And from Singapore to Los Angeles, powered by the Airbus A350-900ULR.

It was followed by Qatar Airways’ Doha-Auckland flight, 14,500 km and 18 hours, technically connected to Qantas flight between Perth and London, the longest route currently operated by 787-9. Both are not running, but Qantas plans to restart its flight in a few months.

Then the Emirates Dubai-Auckland flight of 14,200 km and more than 17 hours; It is currently parked in Kuala Lumpur, but they are expected to be re-installed in the future. Air New Zealand’s flight to New York is connected to Dubai, and is the second longest aircraft operated by a Boeing 787.

The launch of this aircraft will give the crown to Qalanas director Alan Joyce and decide to move forward with him. Sunrise Project It can operate non-stop between Sydney and New York, and no flights can close this route.

Photo: Quak Ho Eddie Wong