=20 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- This article was sent to you by someone who found it on SF Gate. The original article can be found on SFGate.com here: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=3D/news/archive/2002/01/15/f= inancial1801EST0374.DTL ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Tuesday, January 15, 2002 (AP) Air New Zealand cutting international routes (01-15) 15:01 PST WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) -- National carrier Air New Zealand will drop 13 international flights from its weekly schedule from March, citing a decline in demand after the Sept. 11 attacks. Air New Zealand will discontinue two long-haul flights a week to both Honolulu and Los Angeles and cut back on flights from Osaka, Taipei and Hong Kong. The airline operates hundreds of international flights a week. The airline is also increasing service to Tokyo from five times a week to seven. Japan is the airline's second biggest market after Australia. Company spokeswoman Val Hayes said Wednesday that worries about flying following the terror attacks in the United States were largely to blame for a decline in passengers. She also said the airline expects fewer tourists to head to New Zealand as winter approaches. Hayes said the airline doesn't release data on passenger numbers. The announcement came two days after Air New Zealand said it would close its offshore reservations call centers in London, Vancouver and Los Angeles and move the operations back to New Zealand. The company said it hopes the decision will allow it to improve productivity, reduce costs and deliver better service. Sales, marketing and ticketing won't be affected, the airline said. On the Net: www.airnewzealand.com =20 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright 2002 AP