London's Gateway To New Zealand: Airline And Airport Guide

Air New Zealand is considering a return to London, a crucial but challenging market for the airline. The airline is struggling to secure the necessary landing slots at London Heathrow Airport (LHR), the busiest airport in Europe. Heathrow is an extremely slot-constrained airport, with far more airlines requesting slots than can be accommodated. Air New Zealand has requested a daily slot at Heathrow but has not been granted one. The airline sold its last slots at Heathrow in 2020 for US$27 million (then worth $42 million). Air New Zealand is now facing challenges with its fleet and a shortage of planes capable of flying to London.

Air New Zealand is considering resuming direct flights between Auckland and London

Recently, there has been speculation that Air New Zealand is planning to relaunch the Auckland-London route. This speculation was fuelled by the airline's application for a daily slot at London Heathrow and the acquisition of a London Gatwick slot starting in May 2025. However, Air New Zealand's request to operate the world's longest flight from Auckland to London Heathrow was denied.

The airline is dealing with a shortage of aircraft, as its new Boeing 787s have been delayed. It is expected to receive new Dreamliners in 2025, which could be used for the Auckland-London route. However, this route would require a stopover as it cannot be operated non-stop.

Air New Zealand faces challenges in resuming direct flights between Auckland and London, including competition from other well-regarded airlines offering one-stop services and the difficulty of commanding decent yields on these flights due to other carriers' market dominance. Additionally, some customers have complained about the need for a US visa when transiting through the US.

Despite these challenges, Air New Zealand's consideration of resuming direct flights between Auckland and London highlights the importance of this market for the airline. It remains to be seen whether this service will materialise and how the airline will navigate the operational and competitive landscape.

London Heathrow is a busy airport with dozens of airlines vying for a limited number of slots

London Heathrow Airport is the busiest airport in Europe, with 89 airlines flying to 214 destinations in 84 countries. It is the primary hub of British Airways, which holds over half of the airport's total slots. It is also a base for Virgin Atlantic, which has fewer than 400 slots, and Lufthansa, which operates 18 flights per day to its hubs in Frankfurt and Munich.

Heathrow Airport is heavily regulated by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) in terms of how much it can charge airlines to land. The allocation of landing slots to airlines is also highly regulated and extremely competitive, with dozens of airlines vying for a limited number of slots. Heathrow is so slot-constrained that nearly all slot requests are denied. This has made it difficult for Air New Zealand to resume direct flights between Auckland and London, as it has been unable to secure the necessary landing slots.

The slot system at Heathrow is based on demand and presence, with slot allocations helping to identify the airlines with the highest demand and presence at the airport. The top slot holder is oneworld, followed by Star Alliance and SkyTeam. British Airways's dominance at Heathrow contributes significantly to oneworld's high slot allocation.

Heathrow Airport is also used by Aer Lingus, the flag carrier for the Republic of Ireland, which operates over 20 flights per day to London, servicing both Heathrow and Gatwick. United Airlines, American Airlines, and Emirates also operate flights to and from Heathrow.

Heathrow Airport is a major hub for international travel, serving 17 million international and 2.4 million domestic passengers in 2021. The busiest year on record was 2019, with 80.9 million passengers travelling through the airport.

Air New Zealand has secured daily slots at London Gatwick Airport

Air New Zealand is considering a return to London, with the airline securing daily slots at London Gatwick Airport (LGW) for services starting as early as July 2025. This development comes after Air New Zealand's bid for slots at London Heathrow Airport (LHR) was rejected.

The airline's focus on London is part of its network review process, with a spokesperson stating that "London is one of those destinations New Zealand has a very special connection to, and we continue to explore options". Air New Zealand previously operated flights from Gatwick to Auckland in 1982, but transitioned to Heathrow due to competition and accessibility concerns.

The return to London, specifically Gatwick, presents a challenging yet potentially rewarding opportunity for Air New Zealand. The success of this route will depend on factors such as competition from other airlines, the ability to differentiate its service, and sufficient traffic between Gatwick and Auckland.

To make the London route feasible, Air New Zealand could consider various stopover options, such as Vancouver, Honolulu, or San Francisco in conjunction with United. A technical stop in cities like Seattle or Portland could also be an option, although this may present challenges in terms of attracting passengers for the entire route.

While the secured slots at Gatwick indicate Air New Zealand's serious consideration of the London route, it is not a guarantee that the flights will be launched. The airline has been dealing with a shortage of aircraft, with delays in the delivery of its new Boeing 787s.

Air New Zealand flights to and from London Heathrow Airport operate out of Terminal 2

Currently, Air New Zealand does not offer direct flights to London. Passengers travelling from New Zealand to London Heathrow Airport with Air New Zealand will likely need to transit through a US airport, such as Dallas Fort Worth or Houston. Alternatively, passengers can fly with Air New Zealand to another destination, such as Dubai or Singapore, and then catch a connecting flight to London.

When flying with Air New Zealand to London Heathrow Airport, it is important to note that domestic connections within the United Kingdom are operated by British Airways and Aer Lingus. British Airways flights within the UK and to/from Ireland operate out of Terminal 5, while Aer Lingus flights depart from Terminal 2.

Upon arrival at Heathrow Airport, passengers can collect their Air New Zealand boarding passes at the Air New Zealand Transfer desk in Terminal 2. This can be found by following the purple 'Flight Connections' signs. After collecting your boarding pass, proceed through Security and Passport Control, where staff will direct you to the appropriate departure gate and terminal for your onward flight.

Air New Zealand offers low-cost flights to London, flying passengers via Asia or North America

Air New Zealand is considering resuming flights to London, which is an important but complicated market for the airline. The carrier does not currently operate direct flights to London from New Zealand, but it offers low-cost flights to the city via Asia or North America.

Passengers travelling from New Zealand to London with Air New Zealand will have a stopover in either Asia, the USA or Canada. Flights from Auckland to London depart from Auckland International Terminal and arrive at London Heathrow, which is approximately 15 minutes from Central London. From there, travellers can take the Heathrow Express to Paddington Station in the city centre.

Air New Zealand's flights to and from London Heathrow Airport operate out of Terminal 2. The airline does not offer non-stop flights to Africa, but it can get passengers to the continent through its network and alliance partners.

The carrier serves 20 domestic locations in New Zealand and operates international flights to destinations across Australia, the Pacific, Asia, and North America. Air New Zealand also provides flights to the UK and Europe through its alliance partners.

Travellers can find cheap flights from Auckland Airport using the fare finder tool on the airline's website. New Zealand citizens do not need a visa to enter London as visitors for stays of up to six months.

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