A bit unlikely I would have thought. There will be much competition between LAX and AKL soonish and I doubt there would be sufficient traffic for AKL to any of DL's other hubs (ATL is too far I think). Aussie have already shown a dislike for a stopover in AKL on the way to USA. NZ get business because they trade on price on the route.
I wouod've thought it pretty unlikely given the limited connection opportunities beyond AKL.. NZ are in alliance with UA and QF operate their own services beyond all code shared with AA.
Given VA is DL's partner down here, they are more likely to look at adding MEL which has often been discussed particularly as the 77L is one of the few aircraft that can do LAX-MEL without limitations and DL is the only US airline with the 77L in its fleet.
Its unlikely. OneWorld and Star Alliance (via QF/AA and NZ/UA) have the market pretty much sewn up. If DL do choose to go into AKL, expect it to be in several years when they first get 787-8s... but even then, I'd think they'd be more likely to use a 787-8 to fly from BNE to SEA (since it would be a monopoly route and they'd have feed from Virgin Australia's BNE operations). Indeed, Seattle is becoming a DL hub so they may be looking into running services from there too (connections into Canada and the northern parts of the US seem to be viable via SEA).
Auckland? There would be feed from Virgin Australia (at least in theory) but I don't think Air New Zealand would take kindly to it. Unless the AKL flight was to SEA and NZ codeshared with DL on the route (which is possible since NZ love to codeshare on monopoly routes) perhaps. So under those circumstances I could see it happen.
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Likelihood of DELTA flying to Auckland?
klane
klane
Air New Zealand - Airpoints
Member since 30 May 2016
Total posts 7
Likelihood of DELTA flying to Auckland?
readosunnycoast
readosunnycoast
Member since 05 Oct 2011
Total posts 117
A bit unlikely I would have thought. There will be much competition between LAX and AKL soonish and I doubt there would be sufficient traffic for AKL to any of DL's other hubs (ATL is too far I think). Aussie have already shown a dislike for a stopover in AKL on the way to USA. NZ get business because they trade on price on the route.
Grannular
Grannular
Member since 31 Mar 2014
Total posts 272
I think you just answered your own question :)
Speak
Speak
Member since 30 Dec 2014
Total posts 25
Actually AKL-ATL is only about 100km further than AKL-IAH (Houston), which Air NZ currently currently operate to.
Not saying that they will ever do it, but I'd almost guarantee that Delta have taken a very close look at it.
reeves35
reeves35
Member since 24 Aug 2011
Total posts 79
I wouod've thought it pretty unlikely given the limited connection opportunities beyond AKL.. NZ are in alliance with UA and QF operate their own services beyond all code shared with AA.
Given VA is DL's partner down here, they are more likely to look at adding MEL which has often been discussed particularly as the 77L is one of the few aircraft that can do LAX-MEL without limitations and DL is the only US airline with the 77L in its fleet.
StudiodeKadent
StudiodeKadent
Member since 20 May 2015
Total posts 109
Its unlikely. OneWorld and Star Alliance (via QF/AA and NZ/UA) have the market pretty much sewn up. If DL do choose to go into AKL, expect it to be in several years when they first get 787-8s... but even then, I'd think they'd be more likely to use a 787-8 to fly from BNE to SEA (since it would be a monopoly route and they'd have feed from Virgin Australia's BNE operations). Indeed, Seattle is becoming a DL hub so they may be looking into running services from there too (connections into Canada and the northern parts of the US seem to be viable via SEA).
Auckland? There would be feed from Virgin Australia (at least in theory) but I don't think Air New Zealand would take kindly to it. Unless the AKL flight was to SEA and NZ codeshared with DL on the route (which is possible since NZ love to codeshare on monopoly routes) perhaps. So under those circumstances I could see it happen.