Emirates touches down in Auckland via Bali

New service is only year-round non-stop flight between popular destinations Bali and Auckland

Flight will meet increased demand between Emirates global network and Bali, and provide a new connectivity option for visitors to New Zealand

First Emirates service to Bali featuring First Class

Emirates has launched a new daily service from Dubai to Auckland via Bali, reflecting increased interest in the attractive Indonesian island destination and improving connectivity to New Zealand.

The new service offers global travellers a total of three daily services to New Zealand, complementing Emirates’ existing non-stop daily A380 service between Dubai and Auckland and its current daily A380 service between Dubai and Christchurch via Sydney. Travellers will now also enjoy a choice of three daily services between Dubai to Bali in the summer (northern hemisphere)*, as the new flight adds to Emirates’ two existing daily services which are currently operated by a Boeing 777-300ER in a two-class configuration.

On board the inaugural flight, which was welcomed at both Denpasar and Auckland airports with a water cannon salute, was a group of special guests and media.

Emirates’ new Dubai-Bali-Auckland flight provides the only year-round non-stop daily service between Auckland and Bali, giving passengers an opportunity to visit and/or stop over in one of the most popular islands in Indonesia. The airline is operating a 777-300ER on the route, offering eight seats in First, 42 seats in Business and 304 seats in Economy class, as well as 20 tonnes of belly-hold cargo capacity. The new service will also be the first Emirates Bali flight to offer passengers the airline’s award-winning First Class product.

Sir Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline, said: “We are very pleased to see the interest this new route has created since it was announced in mid-February, reflected in strong bookings from Auckland to Bali and beyond, as well as southbound from our global network. Markets such as the UK, Europe and the Middle East have all responded keenly to the new option provided by us opening up this route. Bali and Auckland are both desirable destinations in the eyes of our customers.”

From New Zealand, most interest in the new route is from leisure travellers of all ages, among them visitors seeking to explore the cultural side of the destination and surfers keen to try Bali’s waves. Tourism is also expected to drive strong interest from Indonesia to New Zealand, as well as travel by students attending learning institutions such as AUT University – which last year opened an Indonesia Centre - and the University of Auckland which enjoys a high international ranking. The number of Indonesian students attending courses in New Zealand grew 20% last year.

With its spectacular mountains, picturesque beaches and cultural appeal, Bali is considered to be a world leading tourist destination, welcoming more than 4.5 million foreign tourist arrivals in 2016, including over 40,500 New Zealanders. Emirates’ new service will add to Bali’s global connectivity, further stimulating the island’s economic and tourism growth.

Auckland is a vibrant, cosmopolitan community of more than 1.6 million people – New Zealand’s biggest city, containing a third of the country’s population. Located on an isthmus between two harbours, the city has a wide range of attractive beaches, including popular surfing spots; has a global reputation as a city of sails with an extensive variety of yacht and motor vessel marinas; and a selection of bush walks within easy reach; as well as numerous award-winning vineyards. Emirates has been operating to Auckland since mid-2003.