Here is the outline of the capacity changes:
Shanghai
Shanghai services are currently suspended until 29 March as a result of international travel bans. From 30 March, Shanghai services will reduce from seven services per week to a return service every second day through to 6 June. The resumption of this service is dependent on the lifting of international travel restrictions.
Hong Kong
The airline’s Hong Kong services, currently operated by Cathay Pacific, will resume on Air New Zealand aircraft on 29 March and will be adjusted from seven return services per week to five return services per week through to 19 April and then to three return services per week until the end of June.
Taipei
Taipei services will reduce from four return services per week to three return services per week in March and April and from three return services per week to two return services per week in May and June.
Singapore
Singapore flights will be adjusted from 14 return services per week to 11 return services per week from 4 May through to the end of June.
Narita
Services to Narita, Japan, will be adjusted from 10 return services per week to seven return services per week from 9 March and to five return services per week in May and June.
Seoul
The Auckland-Seoul service is suspended from 7 March through until the end of June.
Tasman/Domestic
Tasman capacity reduction of 4 percent and Domestic capacity reduction of 2 percent through to the end of June.
Air New Zealand Chief Revenue Officer Cam Wallace says the airline is continuing to manage the impact of the evolving situation with COVID-19.
“Clearly, this outbreak is having an impact on bookings on several routes, particularly our Asian destinations, and we’ve updated our schedule to reflect this,” Mr Wallace says.
“In line with other airlines around the world, we’re having to make swift capacity reductions and we appreciate the understanding of authorities in the various ports we fly to as we work through these necessary, short-term changes. We’d also like to thank our customers for their patience in this challenging time.”
Air New Zealand will contact customers affected by these changes in the coming week. Customers booked via a travel agent (including online travel agents) will be contacted by their booking agent. The latest information will also be published on the section of the Air New Zealand website and customers are encouraged to check this, before calling the airline’s contact centre. Customers are also welcome to directly message the airline through its channels.
Air New Zealand is also introducing change flexibility for all new international flights booked and ticketed from 5 March to 31 March.
Customers who purchase an international ticket between these dates will have the standard change penalty waived should they need to amend their flight dates, regardless of the number of changes made. The normal fare difference will apply should the same fare/booking class not be available at the time of rebooking and standard Contact Centre service fees will apply.
Customers purchasing domestic tickets should consider Flexidate, Flexitime products should they be concerned about needing to change their travel plans. Standard change and refund rules will remain on all domestic tickets.
