REPORT FROM HAWAIIAN AIRLINES – Hawaiian Airlines is responding to continued strong demand for its impending service to Auckland, New Zealand, with the introduction of its 294-seat Airbus A330-200 on the route, instead of its 264-seat Boeing 767-300ER aircraft, as previously announced.
Hawaiian is launching thrice-weekly nonstop service between Honolulu and Auckland on March 13, 2013. The larger, wide-body A330 will provide an additional 30 seats per flight, along with a 25 percent increase in cargo space. Annually, the A330 will provide Hawai‘i with nearly 46,000 new air seats from New Zealand.
Hawaiian will be the only U.S. carrier flying into Auckland. The company’s market research indicates that Hawai‘i is an underserved market for New Zealand, as figures show there are currently 30 percent fewer visitor arrivals from New Zealand than in 1999 when more nonstop flights were offered between the two destinations.
Round-trip fares from Honolulu to Auckland, including all taxes, start at $992 for the travel periods of March 13 – April 25, 2013; May 13 – July 18, 2013; and August 6 – October 3, 2013.