Air New Zealand is boosting its regional services next year, increasing the number of people it employees in regional bases.
The national carrier is proposing to start non-stop Air New Zealand Link routes between Invercargill and Wellington and New Plymouth and Christchurch next October. A direct Tauranga-Christchurch servicewill start next December.
The move is possible after the announcement of a plan to buy three additional Bombardier Q300 aircraft.
Air New Zealand group general manager of Short Haul Airlines, Norm Thompson, said there would also be more frequent flights on the Dunedin-Wellington and Queenstown-Wellington non-stop routes from December 2007 using Mount Cook's 66 seat ATR72 aircraft.
Mr Thompson said the increase in regional operations would create new jobs.
"Additional flight attendants will be recruited and regional crew bases extended," he said.
Currently there are twelve Q300s in service, which have been progressively replacing Saab 340A aircraft.
Mr Thompson said the Q300s had proven the right choice for regional customers.
