Air New Zealand Offers New Los Angeles to Christchurch Non-Stop Flight, with Special Inaugural Fare of $830.

LOS ANGELES -- Experience Christchurch, the gateway to New Zealand's South Island playground, with direct service and a generous discount

Today, Air New Zealand offers its first ever non-stop service from Los Angeles to the South Island city of Christchurch. To celebrate this inaugural service, Air New Zealand is offering non-stop, round-trip flights at a special, web-only fare of $830. This special inaugural airfare is available for purchase by November 9, and travel must take place between November 2 and December 3, 2004.

Commencing today and operating three times per week on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, the new service offers connections from other U.S. cities with Star Alliance partners United Airlines and US Airways. Currently, passengers from North America to New Zealand must fly to Auckland on the country's North Island, then transit southbound to Christchurch. This new service will shorten travel time for visitors heading directly to the South Island. Passengers on these and other Air New Zealand flights are eligible to earn and redeem United Mileage Plus or US Airways Dividend miles.

"The South Island of New Zealand seems to have an unfair number of the world's beautiful places," said Gerard Gilmore, Air New Zealand's Vice President, The Americas, UK and Europe. "But we're happy to share those with the rest of the world, and this new service will allow travellers to experience the South Island more conveniently than ever before."

On New Zealand's South Island the skies are bigger and the mountains grander. There are canyons to raft, glaciers to hike and sunny beaches on which to relax. The city of Christchurch has a strong arts and heritage focus and is only half a day away from Los Angeles. Recognized for its English and French influences, it is known as "The Garden City" and gateway to New Zealand's South Island.

The inaugural flights to and from Christchurch and Los Angeles will use the Boeing 747-400 depicting a masculine theme with key film characters "Aragorn" and "Legolas." The aircraft shows the characters, played by Viggo Mortensen and Orlando Bloom, set against the majestic landscape of the Matukituki Valley near Lake Wanaka (in the South Island region of Otago). In fact, much of The Lord of the Rings trilogy was filmed in the South Island.

Book online at www.airnewzealand.com/usa and save. The special economy fare of $830 is valid for travel from November 2 to December 3, 2004 and does not include taxes. Travel must be booked by November 9, and tickets must be issued on or before that date. This fare is for the new non-stop service from Los Angeles to Christchurch only, and is a web-only fare. Minimum stay is six days; maximum stay is one month. Children's fares are available. Special restrictions, terms and conditions apply. Other fares are available by calling 1-800-369-6867.

Air New Zealand offers more direct flights to the South Pacific than any other airline, including a total of 34 flights per week from Los Angeles to New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Australia, Fiji, Tahiti, the Cook Islands, Tonga and Samoa. Non-stop service from San Francisco to Auckland commenced on June 30. United Mileage Plus members earn and redeem mileage on selected flights. The readers of Conde Nast Traveler and Travel & Leisure magazines consistently rate Air New Zealand among the world's best international airlines. Visit Air New Zealand online at www.airnewzealand.com/usa for web specials, or call 1-800-369-6867.