Air New Zealand Cancels Seoul Flights

Air New Zealand has confirmed that, due to operational challenges, it won’t return to Seoul Incheon for seasonal services in October 2025.

The New Zealand flag carrier is one of the airlines currently affected by the complications surrounding the Boeing 787 Trent 1000 engines.

As a result, the airline has had to adjust its operations network-wide to cope with the knowledge that aircraft will not necessarily be available when required.

Air New Zealand says it is making the harsh but necessary decision to end seasonal flights between Auckland and Seoul.

The final season flight between Auckland (AKL) and Incheon (ICN) will, therefore, take place on 29 March 2025, representing the conclusion of the pre-arranged seasonal service schedule.

While disappointing, Jeremy O’Brien, the Chief Commercial Officer at Air New Zealand, has acknowledged this. Moreover, this was confirmed as a decision that was not taken lightly.

Some customers may be subject to the changes being made by the company and are being advised to contact the airline to help organise their ticketing challenges moving forward. This number affected, however, is said to be small.

Ultimately, Seoul will depart the network, but Air New Zealand passengers’ ability to access Seoul will not necessarily cease, with service still present in other Asian destinations on the airline’s aircraft.

While this will not result in nonstop service in Seoul, customers can connect through partner airlines to the South Korean location, which is better than nothing.

Air New Zealand is not a stranger to aircraft troubles caused by engine difficulties. During the 2010s, the company also battled reliability issues with the Trent 1000s on the 787 Dreamliner, which ultimately grounded planes.

Aircraft were leased, routes were cancelled, and struggles were felt. Ultimately, despite this being a decade ago, the challenges now are not too dissimilar, but the commitment remains the same.

Air New Zealand says it’s fully committed to providing seamless travel experiences for its customers. However, because of operational challenges, it must persistently review its day-to-day flying to ensure its schedule is realistic.

If the airline’s schedule were unrealistic, it would be unable to serve routes and cater to passengers’ requirements, leading to cancellations, delays, and customer impact. This would put the airline under fire and likely lead to fines and scrutiny.

Air New Zealand Suspended Other Flights

This is not the first route adjustment either, Air New Zealand suspended Chicago flights until late-2025 as well.

The airline adds that service resumption is only possible after a new Boeing 787 is delivered. However, it will only occur if no further delays to the delivery timeframe are announced.

The airline was initially forced to suspend service because of the ongoing availability problems of the Rolls Royce Trent 1000 engine. Over the last decade, several issues involving this engine type have impacted the company.