Air New Zealand says direct flights from Queenstown to Queensland will start next June. Composite photo / NZME, AFP
Air New Zealand says direct flights from Queenstown to Queensland will start next June. Composite photo / NZME, AFP
Air New Zealand says a new non-stop seasonal service between Queenstown and Brisbane will take off next winter.
The airline will challenge Qantas, which already flies direct between the two destinations.
And it will be competing with Qantas subsidiary Jetstar, which has promised to fly from Brisbane to Queenstown nextJune.
The service would start on June 22 and operate three times a week, Air New Zealand said today.
“We know Queenstown is a year-round favourite for Australians and this connection will also help bring more visitors to our region during the ski and adventure season,” Air New Zealand short haul and domestic general manager Lucy Hall said.
“There are strong ties between our communities and this service will be welcomed on both sides of the Tasman,” Queenstown Airport chief executive Shane O’Hare said.
“The morning flight time will be great for those wanting to catch up with friends and family, and convenient for those with onward connections from Brisbane.”
Air New Zealand said it had fares on sale today and tomorrow from $275 one-way.
It initially put its Brisbane-Queenstown flights on sale from $228 one-way.
Like its Kiwi competitor, Jetstar also planned to use A320neo aircraft on the route.
Meanwhile, the new Qantas Airbus A321XLR will start flying from Brisbane today, operating return services to Sydney.
Qantas on September 12 started taking bookings for flights on its first A321XLR.
The narrowbody twinjet is part of the Australian airline’s fleet renewal programme, which included orders for 214 aircraft.
Great Ocean Road, a Qantas A321XLR.
The XLR replaced the airline’s Boeing 737, with Qantas saying the new aircraft was more fuel-efficient and had wider seats, higher ceilings and larger windows.
