Emirates’ plans to restart services to Christchurch, which were due to start in December, have been postponed due to ongoing operational constraints and resource pressures.
The airline planned to operate an Airbus A380 between Christchurch and Dubai via Sydney.
All customers who have booked their flights to/from Christchurch are being offered alternate flight arrangements to ensure minimum interruption in their travel plans. It has released the details of the options for the passengers (see below).
“Our goal is to make this a seamless and seamless process,” a spokesperson said.
The airline said this will impact the launch of the much-awaited premium economy cabin that it has just rolled out on the route.
It was expected to be able to bring it to the New Zealand market as soon as conditions allowed.
Read also: Guide to Emirates’ A380 First Class Shower Spa
During the pandemic, Emirates continued to operate to and from Auckland, and the airline said it was working hard to develop services to suit demand and ease travel restrictions.
It operates a daily service to Auckland via Kuala Lumpur using a Boeing 777.
“Christchurch is an important and strategic route, and we look forward to resuming our services to the city as soon as it is operationally possible”
Earlier this year the airline announced that its 484-seat A380 would return to New Zealand from 1 December.
It used the popular double-decker aircraft on non-stop flights between Auckland and Dubai before the pandemic hit.
Many airlines are struggling to rebuild pre-pandemic capacity, constrained by delays in bringing back aircraft and rehiring crew.
Air New Zealand said last week that it would cut its schedule by 1.5 per cent over the next six months, citing staffing problems as a main factor.
In a Q&A, Emirates said:
What re-booking options are you offering your customers?
“Affected customers will have the option of being accommodated through our partner airline, Qantas, to/from Sydney before continuing their journey between Dubai and their final destination of Emirates. Can also be flown to Melbourne or Brisbane via Qantas before continuing with Emirates and can be booked a day before or after their original travel date.
“For customers requesting re-route through Auckland, we will provide them with an option to rebook their journey with Jetstar, where they can travel from Emirates or via Dubai to their final destination. can start.
“Customers who have booked through a travel agency should contact their travel agents. Customers who have booked with Emirates may contact their local Emirates office.
Will customers have the option to take a refund?
“Yes, customers are eligible for a refund for any unused portion of their journey if they choose to cancel their travel plans. This can be requested online at:
Customers who have paid for their seat selection will be refunded for the total amount paid, and will have to rebook their preferred seats on the partner airline if they choose the alternate flights provided .
Customers who have purchased excess baggage allowance will be refunded in full, and will be required to rebook their excess baggage if they choose alternate routing options with our partner airlines.
What about passengers who booked tickets in First, Business or Premium Economy and have to take alternate flights where this cabin is not available?
“Customers who have booked their journey in premium cabin and re-routed on other flights where this cabin is not available will be compensated as per our standard policy.
• Meanwhile, Singapore Airlines continued to report its strong operating performance in the first quarter of the current fiscal in July.
Except for East Asia, where travel restrictions are in place in some key markets, air travel demand remained strong during the peak summer season in every route region.
The group carried over two million passengers in July 2022, an increase of 7.5 percent over the previous month.
This was the first time since the start of the Kovid-19 pandemic that the passenger train has crossed the two million mark.
Passenger Load Factor (PLF) reached a new pandemic-high of 87.4 per cent, the second highest monthly PLF in the group’s history.
-by Grant Bradley
Source: https://www.odt.co.nz/star-news/star-christchurch/emirates-defers-planned-christchurch-airbus-a380-flights
