End of line carriers increasingly relying on partners to serve China

Air New Zealand's decision to end Auckland-Beijing services in favour of a one-stop service on its Shanghai flight with onward connections by partner Air China is the latest example of the difficulties 'end of line carriers' in Australia and New Zealand are having serving China, which is a top trading partner for both.

Ending services to Beijing is not a light decision given how coveted Beijing slots are, but Air New Zealand's move is not unprecedented. Qantas in 2009 made the exact same move, ending Beijing service in favour of a one-stop partner connection. Qantas also bolstered its Shanghai schedule, which Air New Zealand is doing too with progressive daily service.