Air New Zealand operated the weekly flight for six months, with Cathay Pacific operating the next period, followed by Air Niugini. The flight had a brief stopover in Port Moresby, the capital of Papua New Guinea, but passengers remained onboard as the modest airport’s transit lounge couldn’t accommodate all the passengers from a jumbo jet.

Fast forward to today. Cathay Pacific operates two daily flights from Hong Kong to Auckland during the southern hemisphere’s summer season (December-February). In October 2016, the airline became the first international airline to fly the A350 to New Zealand, when CX197 from Hong Kong landed in Auckland.

Last month, the A350 link to New Zealand expanded with the launch of direct flights to Christchurch, on New Zealand’s South Island. The seasonal, three-times-weekly, non-stop service capitalises on the growing demand for visitors to the South Island – a hotspot for outdoor activities such as kayaking, hiking, biking (and skiing in the winter).

‘The time is right with the arrival of the A350 to launch the service to Christchurch during our peak summer season,’ says Mark Pirihi, Cathay Pacific’s country manager, New Zealand and Pacific Islands. ‘Demand for travel to New Zealand is high, and Christchurch is the international gateway to the South Island and all it has to offer, from scenery to adventure to fine food and wine.’