Corporate Travel News For South Pacific

Air New Zealand announced (17-Oct-2023) plans to withdraw the 'worksdeluxe' product on its 'Seats to Suit' services from 01-May-2024. According to the carrier's official website, the offering includes two priority checked bags, premium check-in, priority boarding and more. The worksdeluxe product will remain for available services up to and including 30-Apr-2024. [more - original PR]

Air New Zealand introduced (12-Oct-2023) a Multiseat upgrade option on southbound service from New York to Auckland. The Multiseat upgrade enables a passenger to secure three economy seats together in a row. Multiseat will be available for sale effective immediately for travel from 15-Jan-2024 and is offered as a seat selection in the GDS. [more - original PR]

South Australian Tourism Commission welcomed (10-Oct-2023) VietJet Air plans to launch five times weekly Ho Chi Minh City-Perth-Adelaide service on 21-Nov-2023, stating it is the "first time any Vietnamese airline has included Adelaide as a regular destination". Vietnam is South Australia's 11th largest export destination, with exports having increased by over 30% in the last 12 months. Adelaide Airport MD Brenton Cox added: "If the service attracts strong passenger numbers, we'll be keen to have further discussions with VietJet with a view to turning this into a nonstop service between the two cities". [more - original PR]

China Eastern Airlines is scheduled to launch the following services, as per a 09-Oct-2023 GDS inventory and timetable display:

• Hangzhou-Auckland-Sydney-Hangzhou: Twice weekly from 05-Nov-2023;
• Hangzhou-Sydney-Auckland-Hangzhou: Twice weekly from 07-Nov-2023.

The services will be operated using A330-200 equipment. According to OAG, no other carriers are scheduled to operate the routes

Air New Zealand announced (06-Oct-2023) it will extend the expiry date for COVID-19 credits issued that were due to expire on 31-Jan-2024. Customers who have a COVID credit now have until 31-Jan-2026 to book travel for completion by 31-Dec-2026. [more - original PR]

Rex Airlines confirmed (29-Sep-2023) multiple agreements with major travel agencies came into effect in FY2023, including Flight Centre, Helloworld Travel Limited, Webjet, Consolidated Travel and Corporate Travel Management. [more - original PR]

Wellington Airport announced (29-Sep-2023) Qantas Airways plans to commence daily Brisbane-Wellington service on 29-Oct-2023. Air New Zealand also operates the route, according to OAG. [more - original PR]

VietJet Air announced (30-Sep-2023) plans to commence five times weekly Ho Chi Minh City-Perth-Adelaide service on 21-Nov-2023. The LCC also confirmed plans to increase Ho Chi Minh City-Sydney and Ho Chi Minh City-Melbourne Tullamarine frequency to daily and Ho Chi Minh City-Brisbane frequency to three times weekly, commencing Dec-2023. [more - original PR]

Air Vanuatu, via its official Facebook account, announced (24-Sep-2023) it is faced with extended delays in returning to a regular international flight schedule. The completion of necessary work encountered "unexpected challenges", making it "impossible for us to provide an exact timeframe for resuming our regular schedules". The carrier added: "At this stage, we anticipate the possible resumption of international flights by the end of this week". Air Vanuatu engaged Nauru Airlines to operate a number of limited services between Brisbane, Sydney, Auckland and Nadi to and from Port Vila. Teams have also been working on rerouting passengers via Nadi, Honiara and Brisbane.

Fiji Airways announced (18-Sep-2023) plans to launch twice weekly Nadi-Noumea Tontouta service on 30-Nov-2023. The service will be operated under an existing air service agreement which allows the carrier to provide services in French territories. The destination is Fiji Airways' 26th globally. [more - original PR]