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An additional 50 air cargo flights have been added each week to increase the volume of goods entering and leaving the country.
Photo: 123rf
The additional services add approximately 50 percent capacity to the number of flights already operating each week. But the new total of 146 is still much lower than pre-Covid levels.
The government says the new flights will strengthen the supply of critical imports such as medical supplies and the export of high-value goods.
With few passenger flights operating, air cargo delivery has become more expensive.
The government is subsidizing the costs of these flights, but only partially. Six airlines participate in the additional flights, which connect to Australia, the Pacific Islands, Asia and the United States.
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Transportation Minister Phil Twyford said flights provided by the $ 330 million Short-Term International Air Cargo Capacity Scheme help maintain New Zealand’s trade links with key global markets, and were vital to the recovery of the country of the economic effects of the pandemic.
“This new schedule restores more export markets to more business and more frequently.
“There is a great demand for air cargo, at a time when capacity is limited. This scheme helps provide security to companies.”
Financing ensures that services will be provided on key routes, and cargo customers then pay carriers for that capacity.
“The first successful applicants are Air New Zealand, China Airlines, Emirates, Freightways Express, Qantas and Tasman Cargo. We are working with other carriers and hope to make more announcements shortly. As the market recovers, we will re-evaluate the need for financing, “Twyford said.
As part of the government’s $ 12.1 billion Covid-19 support package, $ 600 million went to aviation, including the air cargo scheme, local air cargo, and domestic “lifeline air services”.
Freight customers will be able to access most destinations through Air New Zealand’s traditional network, with a few exceptions, said Air New Zealand general cargo manager Rick Nelson.
The new agreement means that customers are more certain about freight hours, he said.
“We are working to offer connectivity to and from the UK and Europe, as well as to Houston and Chicago through the Los Angeles and San Francisco, Hong Kong and Narita gateways.
“We hope that the need to operate under such an agreement will be a short-term business model, and over time we will be able to revert to our traditional model as the demand for passenger travel begins to increase.”
