PUBLISHED ONMay 20, 2026 7:57 AMBYSean LerKia ora is a Maori phrase used in New Zealand as a greeting, for thanking someone, or for saying goodbye.
If you love travelling to see breath-taking locales, this could come in handy come Oct 28, when the non-stop service between Singapore and Christchurch resumes.
Air New Zealand previously operated five weekly flights from Singapore to New Zealand but stopped doing so in February 2020, during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The route, which will operate three days a week, will be flown by the airline's retrofitted Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft.
More fittingly, all 14 of Air New Zealand's 272-seat Boeing 787-9 underwent nose-to-tail retrofit in Singapore by ST Engineering.
Retrofitting of seven of the aircraft were reportedly completed in end-2025, with the remaining slated for completion by the end of this year.
Apart from new seats in every cabin, the planes will feature all-new inflight entertainment system, larger inflight entertainment screens, clever stowage options, and additional privacy in premium cabins.
Checks by AsiaOne on Wednesday show that tickets have already gone on sale on Air New Zealand's website.
Flight NZ67 will depart Singapore after midnight on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and arrive in Christchurch in the mid-afternoon. The flight time is approximately 10 hours.
Meanwhile, NZ66 will leave Christchurch at 5.20pm on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, and arrive at Singapore's Changi Airport at 10.55pm. The return flight takes slightly longer at 10 hours and 35 minutes.
New Zealand's Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston said: "With both Air New Zealand and Christchurch Airport represented on Prime Minister Luxon's recent Singapore mission, this announcement is effectively first cab off the rank, showing how stronger international relationships can translate into real opportunities for business and tourism for Christchurch and New Zealand exporters."
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