AIR New Zealand is set to introduce its first scheduled service to South America this year with a new direct flight linking Auckland to the Argentinian capital of Buenos Aires.
The service is scheduled to begin on December 1, subject to regulatory approvals, and will take passengers from New Zealand to Argentina in under 12 hours.
Boeing 777-200 aircraft with lie-flat Business Premier beds, Premium Economy seats and Economy Skycouches will be deployed on this route. Flights depart Auckland at 19.20 and touch down at 15.00, while return flights leave Buenos Aires at 23.59 and land in Auckland at 05.30 two days later.
Cam Wallace, chief sales and commercial officer, said: “The distance between New Zealand and Buenos Aires has seemed daunting for travellers in the past with indirect routings and long layovers meaning a total travel time of anywhere from 15 to 30 hours.
“We’re thrilled to be closing the gap between New Zealand and this exciting destination, making it more accessible to everyone from backpackers and intrepid explorers through to families and holidaymakers looking for new destinations.”
To take passengers even deeper into the South American continent, Air New Zealand is tying up with Aerolineas Argentinas beyond Buenos Aires to Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paolo in Brazil in a codeshare agreement.
Aerolineas Argentinas will at the same time place its flight code on selected Air New Zealand trans-Tasman services to Sydney and Melbourne.
Air New Zealand is commemorating the occasion with an introductory one-way fare of NZ$899 (US$682), available until April 7 on the airline’s official website.
