Air New Zealand to suspend service between Nadi and Los Angeles

Air New Zealand said today that it will suspend flights between Nadi and Los Angeles operated by the airline three times per week, effective 26 April 2008.

Instead, Air New Zealand will expand its code-share agreement with Air Pacific from four services per week to six services per week. All six code-share services will connect to and from Air New Zealand’s London services to ensure the flow of Northern Hemisphere tourism into Fiji.

Air New Zealand Group General Manager International Airline Ed Sims said today the code-share agreement with Air Pacific announced last year was working well.

Mr Sims said it was pragmatic for the airline to extend its code-share agreement with Air Pacific and deploy its Boeing 767-300ER aircraft onto higher yielding routes, particularly given ongoing operational pressures such as the high cost of jet fuel.

Air New Zealand currently operates services on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, code-sharing the other days of the week. Its last Monday service will be 21 April, the last Wednesday service will be 23 April and the last Friday service will be 25 April. The expanded code-share service will begin with Air Pacific operating a Wednesday service from 30 April, and a Monday service from 2 June.

The new arrangement means that Air New Zealand code-share services between Nadi and Los Angeles will operate every day except Fridays.

Air Pacific operates Boeing 747-400 aircraft on this route with a capacity of 28 business class and 452 economy class seats.

Mr Sims said Air New Zealand remained committed to a strong presence in the Pacific and the airline’s capacity between New Zealand and Fiji would not be negatively impacted by the schedule change.