China Southern Airlines deploys 787 to Auckland, marks New Zealand's first commercial 787 service

China Southern Airlines operated (28-Oct-2013) its inaugural Boeing 787 service to New Zealand's Auckland Airport on 28-Oct-2013, marking the first commercial 787 service to New Zealand. The 787 replaces the A330 currently used on daily Guangzhou-Auckland service, and increases China Southern Airlines' seat capacity on the route by almost 5% p/a. The carrier will operate a second 787 to Auckland for the peak summer period from 04-Dec-2013 to 01-Mar-2014, meaning the number of weekly services on the Guangzhou-Auckland route will soon increase from seven to 10. Auckland Airport GM aeronautical commercial Glenn Wedlock said China Southern's decision to use its 787 on the Auckland route, coupled with the increase in weekly services, heralds strong Chinese passenger arrival growth with significant benefits for the New Zealand tourism industry. He said, "China Southern Airlines' commitment to use the Dreamliner on this route, as well as the increase to 10 flights per week, indicates long-term growth potential for not only China, but also for China Southern Airlines as a global carrier....The daily arrival of this new aircraft also provides a snapshot of what we will see from Chinese air travel in the future, in particular the importance of our relationship with the Guangdong region as an Asian hub for New Zealand aviation." [more - original PR]