Hot on the heels of Air Tahiti Nui launching a new route to connect Seattle’s Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) to Tahiti’s Faa'a International Airport/Tahiti International Airport (INTAA) – Air Tahiti Nui is seeking approval to connect Seattle to Paris’ Charles de Gaulle International Airport (CDG). Since Air Tahiti Nui already connects to Paris via Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), this is a logical continuation of service and will directly compete with Air France's SEA-CDG route.

About the proposed flight

First Seattle-to-Tahiti Flight Rotating In Front of Q400 at Seattle-Tacoma International
Photo: Joe Kunzler | Simple Flying

The seasonal flight will go for 5,002 miles or 8,049 kilometers and take about 10 hours to complete the journey. The distance is slightly more than connecting Seattle with Tahiti at 4,785 miles.

Air Tahiti Nui’s four Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners with their mighty 197-foot – or slightly over 60-meter – wingspan are intended for these long, point-to-point routes with a range capability of 7,635 NM (14,140 km). When originally picked up on October 2018, the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners were configured for 30 business class passengers, 32 premium passengers, and 232 economy passengers.

Note: Learn more about why the Boeing 787 was made.

In the words of Air Tahiti Nui’s managing director Mathieu Bechonnet, extending to Paris;

Will allow us to better optimize our resources and offer our customers new options to reach Tahiti or Paris. During the summer 2023, our Los Angeles and Seattle hubs will also propose a total of 13 flights per week between the US and Tahiti.

Below is the proposed schedule, pending proper approvals:

Route

Departure

Arrival

Frequency

Papeete - Seattle

11:45 p.m.

12:10 p.m. (+1)

Monday, Friday

Seattle - Paris

2:35 p.m.

9:05 a.m. (+1)

Tuesday, Saturday

Paris - Seattle

12:05 p.m.

1:20 p.m.

Wednesday, Sunday

Seattle - Papeete

3:35 p.m.

10:05 p.m.

Wednesday, Sunday

A fifth freedom flight

Fifth Freedom Flight Infographic - using Tahiti, USA and French flags
Graphic: Joe Kunzler | Simple Flying

As per the above infographic, a fifth freedom flight is according to ICAO;

"Fifth Freedom of The Air - the right or privilege, in respect of scheduled international air services, granted by one State to another State to put down and to take on, in the territory of the first State, traffic coming from or destined to a third State (also known as a Fifth Freedom Right)."

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So basically, an airline can gain authorization to fly from its home country to on the way to a third country and stop in a second to take on and disembark passengers. Such is what Air Tahiti Nui is seeking here – and currently does between Tahiti, Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and Paris’ Charles de Gaulle International Airport.

But what are the other four freedoms? The first is the right to connect two countries by overflying a third country, the second is the right to stop for maintenance and fueling in a second country, the third is the right to disembark passengers and disgorge goods in another country, and the fourth is the right to pick up cargo and passengers to take back to another country.

Note: Read more about the five freedoms of the air.

Fifth freedom flights are nothing new or unique to Air Tahiti Nui. There are some very cool European fifth freedom flights connecting European cities, for instance. Singapore Airlines also conducts a fifth freedom flight linking Singapore, Taiwan, and Los Angeles, USA.

Do you plan on taking this flight? Please let us know in the comments.

Source: ICAO