FedEx Express has launched a new direct flight from the USA to New Zealand and on to Australiaand China to improve its air connections in the Pacific region.
The weekly flight operates from Los Angeles to Auckland, Sydney and Guangzhou, home to FedEx’sAsia Pacific hub. The MD-11 service, which started on 5 August, has capacity for up to 79 tonnes offreight between the destinations.
The company said it is the first express transportation service provider to operate this routewhich would simplify and speed up business for companies in the US, New Zealand and Australia.
“It is part of the continued enhancement of our global operational network and our commitment toprovide better connectivity, increased capacity and faster service to our New Zealand and AsiaPacific customers,” FedEx explained.
The new air connection offers more freight capacity for New Zealand exporters and Australianimporters for their trans-Tasman shipments. For example, customers who ship on a Friday from theU.S. to New Zealand using FedEx International Priority (IP) and FedEx International PriorityFreight (IPF) service will profit from next-business day delivery and two-business day deliveryrespectively.
FedEx Express Australasia managing director Kim Garner highlighted increased freight capacityfor New Zealand trade with Australia, according to the New Zealand Herald newspaper.
“What we’re seeing is connecting individual countries to the global marketplace,” Garner said.“Once upon a time people used to talk about country to country or what’s the biggest economy in theworld, but nowadays it is the global economy.”
“It was not only the surge in online shopping that had led to increased demand for parcelshipping. New trends in delivery timeframes were contributing as well,” he added.
Garner mentioned main imports from the USA such as computer parts, electronics, spare parts forthe automotive industry and manufacturing, clothing and medical equipment.
