After a little over 16 hours in the air, Air New Zealand’s first direct flight from Auckland to New York City landed at JFK Airport at 8am this morning (NZT).
The NZ2 flight, currently the fourth longest in the world (Singapore-New York takes the top spot), will operate three times a week and be flown on a 789-9 Dreamliner.
The ultra-long-haul route had been initially planned to launch in 2020, but was put on ice when Covid arrived. The airline announced its new launch date in March this year.
Passengers on today’s inaugural flight included Air NZ CEO Greg Foran and chair Dame Therese Walsh, former prime minister Helen Clark and tourism minister Stuart Nash, who took Jacinda Ardern’s seat after the PM’s schedule changed due to the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
The flight will be celebrated at a gala event tonight in Manhattan, where Six60 will perform for invited guests.