South Pacific Airline Outlook 2020s: New long haul opportunities

Airlines in the South Pacific region are entering a pivotal period in many respects.

Qantas is faced with order decisions that will help shape its fleet for decades, but it must also make a call on whether to go ahead with its much-hyped Project Sunrise. This would mean that it would launch the world's longest flights from Australia's east coast to London or New York by 2023.

At the same time, Air New Zealand is preparing to introduce its own ultra-long haul nonstop flights to New York in 2020. These plans are being developed against the backdrop of slowing demand and weaker financial performance, which has prompted Virgin Australia and Air New Zealand to initiate cost cutting programmes.

For Pacific Island airlines, fleet renewal is the major focus as they bring in new aircraft types to boost tourism