Kiwis wanting to escape wintery months next year will be delighted to hear Air New Zealand will be returning to the tropical shores of Bali in March 2023. Air New Zealand Chief Customer and Sales Officer Leanne Geraghty says tickets have gone on sale today to Bali, which remains one of the hottest international holiday spots for Kiwis.
“We first flew to Bali in 2012. Our last flight was in 2019 when we flew around 17,000 customers. It’s awesome to be back offering non-stop services and give Kiwis direct access a tropical paradise that suits any type of travellers. Bali regularly features as one our topmost searched destinations – currently in the top five – and we’re expecting interest to be hotter than the Balinese sunshine as Kiwis flock to book a winter getaway.”
Next year, Air New Zealand will fly a seasonal service between 29 March – 27 October 2023. This seasonal service covers April, July and October school holidays and is subject to government and regulatory approvals. The airline will fly a 787-9 Dreamliner three times weekly in the only non-stop flight between Auckland and Denpasar.
Air Astana resumes Bangkok service
Air Astana has resumed services from Almaty to Bangkok with the Airbus A321LR. Five frequencies a week will be operated through until 29 November 2022, when the service frequency will be increased to daily. Departure from Almaty is at 01:10 with arrival in Bangkok at 08:55. Return flight from Bangkok is at 10:05 with arrival in Almaty at 16:35. All times local.
Air Astana originally launched flights from Almaty to Bangkok in 2003, but had to suspend services due to the COVID pandemic in March 2020. During that 17-year period, almost 900,000 passengers travelled on the route. In November 2021, Air Astana launched a new service from Almaty to Phuket, the island popular with tourists off southern Thailand, with three frequencies a week. More than 37,000 passengers have travelled on the route over the past year, with an average load of 74 percent.
“We are delighted to resume services to Bangkok, which has traditionally proven to be one of the most popular destinations for travellers from Kazakhstan,“ said Adel Dauletbek, vice president of Sales and Marketing, Air Astana. “ With the Thai authorities lifting all COVID-related restrictions on foreign visitors, we look forward to a rapid resurgence of passengers travelling to Bangkok for business and vacation.”
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