Air NZ makes shock announcement about Bali flights

Kiwis will now be able to fly to Bali non-stop any time of the year after an announcement from Air New Zealand. The airline has revealed plans to expand its non-stop services to Bali to include summer months. Previously, Kiwi travellers eager to fly direct to the Indonesian island had to fly between March and October, when Air New Zealand operates Bali flights. Alternatively, they could fly via Australia with Qantas or Jetstar.

Now, Air New Zealand will fly direct for the entire year. The frequency of flights will change, with the most flights a week between April and the end of October (five to seven flights), and the fewest between mid-February to the end of March (two flights). The airline will offer one-way fares from $699 from today until midnight Sunday, June 23, to celebrate the announcement.

Expanding the Bali services “made sense” given the demand from Kiwis to visit Bali year-round, Air NZ chief customer and sales officer Leanne Geraghty said. “Bookings to Bali have been strong since we relaunched our seasonal service in March 2023. This year’s seasonal flights have proven even more popular, with thousands of Kiwis booking Bali breaks over the last few months,” she said. As a result, the airline had decided to offer the service during summer too.

“As the only airline offering a direct connection between Aotearoa and Bali, Kiwis heading off on a Bali break over the summer months no longer need to fly with a stopover. During the summer period of November to February, the airline will provide more than 800 seats per week to Bali. A direct flight to Bali can make a significant difference to travel time. Flying direct takes about 9.5 hours, while a stopover can increase travel time to 12 hours, or in some instances, 18 hours.

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