Sichuan Airlines has announced its return to New Zealand in April, marking a comeback to the region after a hiatus of four years, which is set to enhance the air travel link between the two nations.

The airline will initiate weekly flights from Chengdu Tianfu International Airport to Auckland Airport starting April 17, utilizing the Airbus A350-900 aircraft for this route. With the commencement of these flights, Sichuan Airlines will be the exclusive provider of direct flights connecting the two cities.

The service to New Zealand was halted by the airline in February 2020 due to the beginning of the pandemic, having previously operated the route from Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport, as indicated by OAG Schedules Analyser data.

In 2019, the passenger flow between Chengdu and New Zealand was approximately 42,900 in both directions, as per Sabre Market Intelligence, with Chengdu-Auckland ranking as the fifth most significant route between China and New Zealand, trailing behind connections from Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen to Auckland.

Following the nearly complete halt of traffic during the COVID crisis and the reopening of China’s borders to international visitors in early 2023, the Chengdu-New Zealand passenger numbers saw a rebound to around 10,100, despite the lack of direct flights.

With Sichuan Airlines re-entering the market, the total of carriers providing direct flights from China to New Zealand will rise to six, including Air China, Air New Zealand, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines, and Hainan Airlines. Currently, the weekly capacity of seats on direct flights between the two countries stands at nearly 19,000, reaching about 77% of the capacity recorded in 2019.

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