News
Report: Air New Zealand to add Chengdu to its network?
April 29th 2016
Air New Zealand (Air NZ) is looking to add Chengdu as a destination, a CAPA report this week suggested. The Auckland-based carrier has announced Ho Chi Minh City and Manila as additions to its ‘Pacific Rim’ network, as well as Houston and Buenos Aires last year. Read More »
Air NZ flies to Shanghai and serves Beijing through its Star Alliance and joint-venture partner, Air China. The latter has a hub in Chengdu, which would facilitate onward connections to domestic destinations, as well as 3-5 hour regional services to Myanmar, Bangladesh, India and the Middle East.
New Zealand has become a hot spot for Mainland tourists. The Kiwi government opened a visa processing office in Chengdu in 2015, facilitating access to the country. Hainan Airlines plans to launch a Shenzhen-Auckland service from November (see here). Chengdu offers subsidies for long-haul routes which Air NZ could qualify for, CAPA said.
A report in the Australian Financial Review (AFR) this week said China Southern Airlines and Hainan Airlines have approached Australian investment bankers about representing their interests in Air NZ’s potential sale of its 25.9% stake in Virgin Australia. Any new entrant would be restricted to acquiring an initial 19.9%, but “it could enter into a financial arrangement that allows it to "creep" up over time”, the AFR said.
Singapore Airlines (SIA) is understood to be evaluating the acquisition of Air NZ’s stake in Virgin, which would make it the largest shareholder in the Australian carrier, at 45.8%.
