Air New Zealand cargo flights included in extended government Covid scheme

Air New Zealand will again offer cargo flights as part of the country’s Maintaining International Air Connectivity (MIAC) scheme.

The latest round of the scheme got underway in June and runs until the end of October. ANZ was one of five airlines to offer services through the scheme.

The airline will operate around 30 flights per week to 13 destinations including Los Angeles, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Tokyo, Taipei, Seoul, Guangzhou, San Fransisco, Cook Islands, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga and Niue.

It will also offer trans-Tasman and Cook Islands services outside of the scheme as travel bubbles have now been established with these destinations.

Air New Zealand general manager cargo Anna Palairet says it’s encouraging to have been awarded more flights under the scheme.

“MIAC is helping our import and export community maintain essential trade with key international markets during an extended period of disruption and we’re really proud to be part of making that happen. Operating these services also allows us to bring Kiwis home where other commercial services haven’t been able to operate,” she said.

“The New Zealand Ministry of Transport has done an outstanding job with the scheme and it’s fantastic to see it continuing to allow for stable support until passenger travel begins to pick up again.

“With the Tasman and Rarotonga bubbles now in operation, services to Australia and the Cook Islands are currently not included in the scheme. However, we’re fortunate the scheme provides a mechanism to support the movement of freight to these markets if those bubbles burst to ensure a stable supply chain.”

The scheme that aims to maintain air cargo supply chain connectivity in light of reduced passenger operations through subsidies.

Other airlines offering flights through the scheme include: Emirates, China Airlines, Air Tahiti Nui and Korean Air.