Singapore Airlines, Air New Zealand expand network to boost capacity

SINGAPORE, May 28 (Xinhua) -- Singapore Airlines (SIA) and Air New Zealand will expand their joint network between Singapore and New Zealand for the Northern Winter 2026 season, increasing seat capacity and connectivity amid rising travel demand, SIA said Thursday.

The expanded schedule, running from Oct. 25, 2026 to March 27, 2027, will add services to Auckland and Christchurch, boosting overall seat capacity between the two countries by 17 percent, or about 72,000 seats, to more than 490,000 seats during the period.

Air New Zealand will launch three weekly non-stop Singapore-Christchurch services using Boeing 787 aircraft. Together with SIA's existing Christchurch operations of up to 12 weekly flights, the alliance will offer as many as 15 weekly services during peak months between November 2026 and February 2027.

The New Zealand carrier will also add four weekly Auckland flights operated by Boeing 777 and 787 aircraft.

Meanwhile, SIA will deploy its Airbus A380 on daily Auckland services SQ285 and SQ286, replacing the Boeing 777-300ER, while adjusting its schedule from three daily flights to two.

The carriers said the expansion reflects growing travel demand and their commitment to providing customers with greater connectivity and flexibility across the joint network. Enditem