Christchurch Airport lands first permanent China air link

Christchurch Airport has cemented a deal that will give the South Island a permanent direct route to China for the first time.

China Southern Airlines, the world’s third largest in passenger numbers, has been flying a summer schedule to Christchurch since 2013.

That will now run all year from Guanghzhou starting in mid-December. China Southern was also the first Chinese airline to fly direct to Auckland.

Christchurch Airport chief executive Malcolm Johns says the service offers more than 70,000 seats a year and will add an estimated more than $100 million in visitor spend.

“That is positive news not only for the tourism industry but also for southern air freight needs, which add up to significant economic development opportunities for every region of the South Island,” he says.

“When the entry point is Christchurch every South Island region benefits, because visitors on average leave around 85% of their spending in the South Island. This drops to less than 35% when the entry point is not Christchurch.”

Christchurch Airport continues to be the fastest growing point of entry for Chinese visitors.

While national figures grew 39% over the past summer, Christchurch Airport’s numbers grew 69%. Overall, the airport showed a 59% increase in arrivals of Chinese nationals in the months of December, January and February.

China Southern president and chief executive officer Tan Wan Geng says in a statement: “Increasing numbers of Chinese arrivals into Christchurch Airport show the demand for the South Island, especially from the growing number of independent travellers who want to see and experience it."

China Southern is a member of the Skyteam alliance, giving it a global reach of 1052 international destinations in 177 countries and regions.

The announcement of the Christchurch service was accompanied by another new route between Guangzhou and Rome via Wuhan. Both new services run three times a week and start on December 16.

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