COVID-19 delays launch of world's fifth-longest flight: Newark to Auckland, New Zealand
Air New Zealand has postponed the launch of its flight from Newark to Auckland, which would have been the fifth-longest in the world. The 8,810-mile nonstop was scheduled to begin on October 29 of this year, but the New Zealand Herald reported, citing airline officials, that it won't happen until late 2021 because of the drop in demand from the coronavirus pandemic.
In terms of distance flown, the flight would have ranked just behind Auckland to Dubai in the list of the world's longest flights. It would also have been the first nonstop between New York and New Zealand. The plane selected to operate the flight, lasting up to almost 18 hours, was the Boeing 787-9. In Air New Zealand's layout, the 787 features the Skycouch in economy class, which lets passengers combine three adjacent economy-class seats into something resembling a business-class bed.
It's indicative of the length of the slump in demand expected by the airline that the launch has been postponed to the end of next year "at the earliest," according to the newspaper.
For more TPG news delivered each morning to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.
According to Airlineroute, the Newark flight would have taken over the prestigious NZ1 and NZ2 flight numbers from the Auckland - Los Angeles service. The airline's schedule showed that NZ2 would leave Auckland at 7:55 p.m. on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays and land in New Jersey at 5:35 p.m. the same day. (Arriving before the departure time is an effect of crossing time zones and the International Date Line.) NZ1 would depart Newark at 7:05 p.m., after a very quick turnaround time of about one hour, and arrive in Auckland at 6:45 a.m. two days later.
The Los Angeles flight used to continue to London, but Air New Zealand suspended the London leg in March due to the near-obliteration of passenger demand, and will not resume it. The London service would have ended in October anyway as the Newark flight started; the pandemic has forced an earlier termination. The airline's strategy chief Nick Judd said demand is "unlikely to recover" before October.
Air New Zealand is a member of Star Alliance like United, which maintains a large hub at Newark and would have picked up most of the Air NZ passengers headed to London. Air NZ's then-CEO Jeff McDowall said in 2019 that his airline lacked the scale to compete across the Atlantic, and that only seven percent of passengers between Auckland and London flew via Los Angeles in 2018 anyway. The three Middle Eastern giants — Emirates, Etihad and Qatar — have also siphoned off a large part of travel between New Zealand and Europe via their connecting services; Emirates alone flies more than a million people a year from New Zealand to its hub in Dubai.
Air New Zealand is also terminating service from Auckland to Buenos Aires, Argentina, which was one of the few flights crossing oceans in the southern hemisphere.
The airline says the Auckland to Los Angeles flight is currently being operated three times a week and is the only Air New Zealand service to the U.S. Those flights are operated only for cargo and a limited number of passengers, since foreigners are not allowed to enter New Zealand at the moment. The airline's other U.S. routes — Honolulu, San Francisco, Houston and Chicago — are all suspended.
On its page related to COVID-19, Air New Zealand said passengers affected by these changes will be contacted with options in coming days. "Those who have booked flights via travel agents or third-party booking websites should contact them directly," the airline added. As we have noted before, booking flights from online travel agencies such as Expedia or Orbitz means that travelers have to contend with two sets of conditions for refund or change — the airline's own, and the online travel agency's.
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.