The Auckland-HCM City route will have the maximum flights in the season from June to October with three flights per week. — Photo thanhnien.vn

HA NOI (Biz Hub) — Air New Zealand on June 5 opened a direct air route between New Zealand and HCM City.

As the first direct route between the two countries, the route will initially operate seasonally, flying three times a week on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday until the end of October, using a Boeing 767-300.

Minister for Economic Development, Education, Skills and Employment Steven Joyce said this event opened a new page to get people of the two countries closer. This was also an important landmark for co-operation in the field of transport and to enhance the relationship between the two sides.

The direct route is expected to help businesses of the two countries develop co-operation in education, tourism and economy, especially once the two sides are joined together by the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

The route is part of the airline's network expansion plan in Southeast Asia and is its key strategy in the Pacific belt.

Minister of Transport Truong Quang Nghia emphasised that besides co-operation in civil aviation, the two countries needed to strengthen meeting, exchanging information and seeking opportunities for co-operation in the areas of investment in transport infrastructure, human resource training, sharing experiences in maritime safety and aviation security.

The Vietnam government will create an open, favourable and fair business environment for investors and foreign businesses to meet the demand of integration in the new stage, Nghia said.

HCM City is the 30^th destination of the Air New Zealand airline. The number of tourists from Vietnam travelling to New Zealand hit 4,000 by late March this year.— VNS