Singapore Airlines and Air New Zealand celebrated their 10-year partnership in this market with both airlines saying at an event in Auckland last night that the support of the travel trade had been critical to the roaring success of the deal.
Capacity on the Singapore route has grown 50% in the last decade, with 5.5 million passengers carried and up to 38 flights a week linking Auckland, Christchurch and Singapore this coming summer. “I think the success of this joint venture really would not have been possible without the unwavering support of our valued partners in the travel trade,’’ says SQ’s New Zealand manager, George Robertson. The dedication, resilience, and the trust that agents had invested in the airlines was acknowledged. ‘’Your tireless efforts really have been a major cornerstone behind the growth of our partnership, and you have all been with us every step along that journey. The partnership has been a roaring success.’’ He says work on the partnership started a year before it was launched and he thanked NZ for the ‘deep friendship’ and trust it had extended. Kylie McGillivray-Brown, NZ’s head of commercial products says the SQ partnership was critical in Air NZ’s success. “It’s really critical for us [and] also a gateway to more than 50 destinations across Southeast Asia, India, the UK and Europe.’’ She also thanked agents. “We wouldn’t be able to do it without trade partners and all of you in this room have made it a success for us.’’ SQ is bringing back an A380 to AKL this summer, and Robertson says he is confident about the future potential to expand the partnership’s work. “We’re really encouraged and buoyed by the outlook—we look forward to a robust summer.’’ Claire Jones of House of Travel winner of return business class tickets to Singapore.
