Since 08 April 2011, China Southern operates a direct air service between Guangzhou and Auckland three times a week, operated with an Airbus A330-200. With the launch of this new service, China Southern is the first Chinese airline to provide direct air transportation to New Zealand.

During the launch ceremony Mr. Kevin Bowler, CEO Tourism New Zealand, said that “New Zealand currently welcomes more than 123,000 visitors from China each year, making it New Zealand’s fourth-largest visitor market after Australia, the UK and USA. China is also one of New Zealand’s fastest growing visitor market and many New Zealand tourism businesses are excited about the future of tourism between our two countries.”

Mr. Tan Wangeng, President CEO of China Southern Airlines said, “As China’s economy continues to grow and exchanges between China and New Zealand deepen, the number of passengers is quickly rising. We are pleased to announce that China Southern will launch this new Guangzhou-Auckland service in the 2011 Summer/Autumn schedule with three initial weekly flights and there will be a gradual increase of flight frequency as markets mature.”

He added that, “We estimate that by 2015, China Southern will be operating more than 110 weekly return flights to Oceania and offering Oceania connections to Europe, the US, Japan, Korea and the Middle East via our Guangzhou hub with the goal of developing Guangzhou into one of the best transit points for passengers travelling between Oceania and the rest of the world.”

Source: China Southern