Air India and Air New Zealand Signs Codeshare, Direct Flights by 2028

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MUMBAI- Air India (AI) and Air New Zealand (NZ) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen air connectivity between India and New Zealand.

The agreement establishes a new codeshare partnership covering 16 routes and explores the possibility of direct flights between Delhi and Auckland by the end of 2028.

Air India and Air New Zealand Codeshare

The MoU was signed on Wednesday at the ‘Travel and Tourism Reception’ hosted by New Zealand Tourism at Mumbai’s Taj Mahal Palace, with New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon in attendance. Both airlines are members of the Star Alliance network.

Under the codeshare agreement, passengers can travel from Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Chennai on Air India flights, connecting at Sydney, Melbourne, or Singapore to Air New Zealand-operated flights to Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington, and Queenstown.

The potential direct Delhi-Auckland flight would significantly improve travel between the two countries, which currently lack direct connectivity. Existing connecting flights typically take between 17 and 30 hours, making a direct service a substantial improvement for travelers.

The partnership aims to increase market visibility for both countries as tourism destinations. In 2023, New Zealand welcomed 87,000 Indian visitors, representing a 23% increase from 2019 levels, with 72% visiting during off-peak seasons.

Tourism New Zealand data indicates approximately 18 million people in India are actively considering visiting New Zealand, with 57% identifying it as their top destination choice. The figures show 77% of Indian visitors arrive during New Zealand’s off-peak season.

New Zealand currently hosts around 330,000 people of Indian origin, with India representing the country’s second-largest source of international students and largest source of skilled migrants.

MoU with Delhi Airport

Auckland Airport has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport, India’s busiest airport. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon endorsed the agreement, noting it would strengthen existing ties between New Zealand and India.

“India is the world’s fastest-growing major economy, and represents such an amazing set of opportunities for our exporters to grow their markets,” Luxon stated. “Greater cooperation between the two airports that facilitate tourism, trade and people-to-people links between our nations is a fantastic step forward.”

Auckland Airport CEO Carrie Hurihanganui highlighted the strong demand for travel between the two countries despite the absence of non-stop flights. She confirmed both airports would collaborate to support the establishment of direct flights between Delhi and Auckland.

Delhi Airport served 78 million passengers in 2024 and maintains direct connections to 71 international cities, including London, Dubai, Singapore, New York, Toronto, and Sydney.

Travel Statistics

Approximately 150 travelers fly between Delhi and Auckland daily. Travel demand between India and New Zealand has increased by 78% since 2015, with 351,000 people traveling between the two countries in 2024.

One-third of these trips involved travel between Delhi and Auckland specifically, with around 110,000 people traveling between the two cities in 2024. During that year, 102,000 New Zealand residents visited India, while 83,000 Indian residents came to New Zealand.

Hurihanganui noted that 75% of all international visitors to New Zealand first arrive via Auckland Airport, emphasizing the airport’s active role in growing global air connectivity. While 26 airlines currently fly to 42 destinations, overall seat capacity remains 9% below 2019 levels.

Delhi International Airport CEO Videh Kumar Jaipuriar expressed enthusiasm about the partnership’s future potential and committed to working closely with Auckland Airport to help make non-stop flights a reality.

ANZ Partnership with TCS

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has entered a five-year partnership with Air New Zealand to modernize the airline’s digital infrastructure and advance its AI-driven innovation capabilities. The collaboration aims to enhance Air New Zealand’s digital capabilities, improve customer experience, and drive operational efficiencies across fleet management, crew scheduling, and ground services.

The partnership was formally announced at a signing event at TCS’ Banyan Park Campus in Mumbai. New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon attended the event alongside Tata Group Chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran, Air New Zealand CEO Greg Foran, and TCS CEO and Managing Director K. Krithivasan.

The agreement supports Air New Zealand’s vision to become the world’s most digitally advanced airline. TCS brings its extensive experience in New Zealand, where it has operated for over 37 years as a trusted digital transformation partner across various industries.

TCS maintains an office in Auckland with 460 professionals serving more than 20 blue-chip customers in banking, retail, construction, manufacturing, and local government sectors. The company collaborates with top New Zealand universities through its TCS Co-Innovation Network (COIN) to advance research in cybersecurity, sustainability, and artificial intelligence.

The IT services provider previously led the development of the Asia Pacific Digital Sustainability Index in 2022, which has shaped the region’s approach to sustainable digital transformation. Beyond its business operations, TCS contributes to New Zealand’s digital talent development through its STEM empowerment programs, goIT and goIT Girls, which inspire students to pursue careers in technology and innovation.

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