Air New Zealand: long haul network grows to record highs, adding Ho Chi Minh, Houston & Buenos Aires

Air New Zealand continues to expand into new long haul markets. Air NZ in Dec-2015 launched a service to Houston in its core North America market and opened its first South American flight, to Buenos Aires. Its next long haul destination - Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh - is also a more peripheral market for which Air NZ will have to stimulate interest, rather than accommodate existing demand.

Inbound tourism is a staple for New Zealand's economy and Air NZ supports this, but at the same it has an undeniably strong outbound market that will fuel Buenos Aires and especially Ho Chi Minh. Air NZ will be Vietnam's 16th long haul service and only the eighth by a foreign carrier. Often forgotten in the shadow of China and tourism boom elsewhere in Southeast Asia, Vietnam with its 90 million population is ripe for international growth.

After restructuring its long haul network, Air NZ in 2015 had more long haul flights and capacity than prior to the restructuring. Its new routes will see it grow even further. There will be 15% more long haul flights in 2016 than a past recent high in 2005.