Air New Zealand said today that it will be extending its code-share arrangement with Air Pacific on the Los Angeles to Fiji route from four services a week to six services a week and suspending its three times a week B767 service between Los Angeles-Nadi, Fiji-Los Angeles services, effective from 26 April 2007.
All six code-share services will connect to and from Air New Zealand's London services to ensure the flow of Northern Hemisphere tourism into Fiji.
Air New Zealand's General Manager, UK & Europe, Scott Carr said today the code-share agreement with Air Pacific announced last year was working well.
"It is pragmatic for us to now extend our code-share agreement with Air Pacific and deploy our B767-300ER aircraft onto higher yielding routes particularly given the ongoing operational pressures such as the high cost of jet fuel" he said.
Air New Zealand currently operates services on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, code-sharing on the other days of the week. Its last Monday service will be 21 April, the last Wednesday service will be 23 April and the last Friday service will be 25 April 2008. The expanded code-share service will begin with Air Pacific operating a Wednesday service from 30 April, and a Monday service from 2 June.
The new arrangement means that Air New Zealand code-share services between Los Angeles and Nadi will operate every day except Fridays.
Air Pacific operates Boeing 747-400 aircraft on this route with a capacity of 28 business class and 452 economy class seats.
Mr Carr said Air New Zealand remained committed to a strong presence in the Pacific and to the Coral Route. "The new code share arrangements on Air Pacific's six services a week operated by a B747 represents a 10% capacity increase on the Los Angeles - Nadi route" he said.
Arrangements are being made for any passengers already booked and ticketed on affected flights to be rebooked onto the new code share services or onto Air New Zealand flights via Auckland.
ENDS
For further information:
Kate Woods or Victoria Pilkington-Miksa at Grayling on 020 7255 1100
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