Southeast Asia is proving to be a hot spot for Wellingtonians flying on taking advantage of Singapore Airlines' flights into the capital.
Since September 2016, the airline has flown Boeing 777-200 from Wellington to Singapore via Canberra four times a week, a service which aviation experts said appeared to be winning support.
The 'capital express' service helps travelers reach 135 destinations in 37 countries. So far, the most popular destinations for passengers from Wellington include Delhi, Canberra, Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Phuket, Colombo and Kuala Lumpur.
Singapore Airlines New Zealand general manager Simon Turcotte said the service appealed to New Zealander's appetites to travel.
"Kiwis love to explore and being able to travel long-haul from their own airport, is something that Wellingtonians have told us they really value," Turcotte said.
"When we look at where Wellingtonians have traveled using the 'Capital Express' service, it highlights their appetite for exploring Southeast Asia."
Customers had also taken advantage of the company's regional airlines to connect to other destinations, Turcotte said.
Wellingtonians were not the only ones taking advantage of the new service.
Customers from around the globe were also using the direct services to touch down in the capital.
"It has been an exciting 12 months since we launched the first flight and we are looking forward to continuing to connect Wellington to the world," he said.
The Singapore Airlines service has been in the headlines, both for its improved connectivity to Asia, the fact that it is the first scheduled wide-bodied service from Wellington, and the support the airline received to bring it here.
When the service was confirmed, Wellington's then Deputy Mayor Justin Lester said the short time on the tarmac in Canberra meant the service would cut the time it took to get from central New Zealand to Asia by at least 90 minutes.
In the following days, documents emerged showing Wellington Regional Economic Development Agency could provide up to $800,000 a year in marketing support towards the service, for 10 years.
Top 10 end-point destinations for Wellingtonians:
- Canberra
- Colombo
- Delhi
- Hanoi
- Ho Chi Minh City
- Kuala Lumpur
- London
- Mumbai
- Phuket
- Singapore
Top 10 places people travel from to Wellington:
- Bangkok
- Canberra
- Delhi
- Frankfurt
- Jakarta
- Kuala Lumpur
- London
- Manila
- Mumbai
- Singapore
Source: Stuff
