Air New Zealand launches service to Taipei
Air New Zealand has announced it will start operating non-stop flights between Auckland and Taipei from November 2018.
The airline will fly up to five times a week between Auckland and Taipei’s Taoyuan International Airport from November, with NZ77 departing Auckland at 10:35am and arriving in Taipei at 4:50pm local time. NZ78 will depart Taipei at 6:30pm local time, arriving in Auckland at 10:20am+1.
With a flight time of just over 11 hours, the service from Auckland to the Taiwan capital will be operated by Air New Zealand’s Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft.
Christopher Luxon, Air New Zealand’s chief executive officer said the country is already a popular destination for visitors from this region and the new direct route will encourage even more tourist activity.
“Air New Zealand’s new service is significantly quicker and more convenient than current indirect options. New Zealand already welcomes around 36,000 visitors a year from the Taiwan market and we’re confident a direct link will grow numbers further.
“Providing a non-stop service to Taipei will also enable more Kiwis to explore this destination. Taipei is a culturally diverse city renowned for its food scene, lively night markets, traditional temples and busy shopping streets – all crowned by the Taipei 101 skyscraper that dominates the city’s skyline.
“Beyond Taipei there are nine national parks offering nature experiences and activities such as hiking and biking as well as beautiful beaches.”
Hollywood star appears in safety video
Hollywood star Adrian Grenier in the Air New Zealand video
Meanwhile, the airline’s upcoming Antarctic safety video is set to feature Hollywood environmentalist, actor, director and UN Environment Ambassador Adrian Grenier.
Known globally as Vincent Chase from the TV series Entourage, Grenier stars alongside Scott Base scientists and support staff in the video, which spotlights the critical importance of Antarctica in understanding the impacts of a warming world.
Grenier is the co-founder of the Lonely Whale clean ocean advocacy non-profit and producer and director of documentaries and films highlighting important social and environmental issues.
The safety video project and associated educational content builds on Air New Zealand’s long-term partnership with Antarctica New Zealand and the New Zealand Antarctic Research Institute – a relationship currently supporting a major study of ecosystem resilience in the Ross Sea area.
Living and working alongside the Scott Base science community was a profound experience for the environmental campaigner, who jumped at the opportunity to take part in the project.
Environmental issues
“Visiting Antarctica has been a life-long dream, and I feel privileged to be part of one of Air New Zealand’s world-renowned safety videos, particularly this one, which is so well aligned to my own commitment to environmental issues,” says Grenier.
“Filming in sub-zero conditions was intense, but it was an adventure I will carry with me forever. One unforgettable moment was stepping below the ice shelf to see the underwater life beneath in a scientific observation cylinder drilled through the ice.”
Jodi Williams, the airline’s general manager of Brand and Global Content Marketing said Grenier was a natural choice to star in the video and truly embracedlife at Scott Base – where space and creature comforts are limited,” she said.
“Minimising any potential environmental impact of the shoot was a key priority for us, so a tight crew of just six including Adrian travelled to Antarctica – without many of the extras you’d expect on a large-scale production.
“Adrian’s keenness to be involved speaks to his genuine passion for this project which we hope will inspire more people to consider the impact of their decisions on the planet’s future.”
Antarctica New Zealand chief executive officer Peter Beggs says the new safety video and other video content will give millions globally greater awareness of Antarctic science, particularly as efforts to understand environmental change intensify.
“Air New Zealand is a committed supporter of Antarctic research, using its channels to highlight the value and importance of New Zealand’s world-leading Antarctic science,” he explained. “We’re confident this project, which also includes a dedicated website and additional material filmed with scientists in the field, will help tell the story of Antarctica’s significance worldwide”.
You can view a background video below.
