Christchurch Airport is thrilled to announce the return
of China Southern Airlines for an expanded summer season,
starting at the end of October. Asia’s largest carrier
will resume its direct service between Christchurch and
Guangzhou, bringing significant benefits for travellers and
the regional economy.
The return comes with a boost
for the Chinese New Year period. Between 17 December 2024
and 12 February 2025, the airline will fly seven days a week
during the peak season, that’s 75% more seats than during
the same period last year.
Southern Airlines
(Photo/Supplied)
This is a boon
for all those choosing to celebrate the Chinese New Year in
Te Waipounamu (South Island), as well as providing more
opportunities for travel and commerce.
To accommodate
the high demand, the additional services will operate on
Tuesdays and Thursdays, in addition to the five weekly
flights that took place between Christchurch and Guangzhou
last season.
The flight, which takes approximately 12
hours, will be operated by China Southern’s
state-of-the-art Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners.
For eight
years since 2016, China Southern has offered direct flights
to Christchurch, with close to 400,000 passengers using the
Guangzhou service.
Gordon Bevan, General Manager of
Aeronautical Development at Christchurch Airport, is
delighted about the strengthened partnership with China
Southern Airlines.
Advertisement – scroll to continue reading
“China is a high-value market for
us, and the greater flexibility of flight options opens
connection opportunities for travellers from China
Southern’s extensive network that spans more than 220
destinations across 40 countries.
That creates so many
more opportunities for global travellers who want to
experience the awesome tourism offerings in
Aotearoa.”
“We signed a Memorandum of
Understanding with China Southern earlier this year and
it’s delivering all we hoped for, and with a fair wind, we
hope to see a China Southern aircraft in the skies of
Canterbury all year round.
The MOU not only aims to
boost tourism but also focuses on enhancing education and
high-value cargo services, boosting our region’s economy
and international connectivity.”
Christchurch is
home to a vibrant Chinese community, with over 20,000
Chinese residents living in the South Island.
The
return of China Southern Airlines and the increased services
for Chinese New Year will provide a valuable two-way
connection for people to reunite with their friends and
family, celebrate their traditions, and enjoy the
festivities as they welcome in the Year of the
Snake.
Our airport looks forward to welcoming one of
our favourite airlines back and doing what we do best –
providing passengers with seamless travel experiences and
opening doors to new adventures in the South
Island.
Advertisement – scroll to continue reading