KEY POINTS:
A Wellington air charter company is joining the crowded skies over a flotilla of icebergs off the South Island's east coast, offering champagne flights out of Christchurch and Ashburton.
Vincent Aviation announced yesterday it would run charter flights from tomorrow using its 40-seater Dash 8 turboprop aircraft.
Commercial aviation companies in Otago and Southland have been cashing in on the spectacular scenic opportunity over the last two weeks, taking tourists out to view the icebergs that are currently about 60km off the coast of Timaru.
The "giant" of the flotilla, an iceberg estimated to be about 1km long, was about 80km off Southland's Catlins coast late Wednesday.
Foreigners and New Zealanders alike are clamouring for seats, with one Otago helicopter company charging $500 a head and filling six flights a day to the Antarctic rogues.
Icebergs were last reported this close to the New Zealand coastline in 1931.
Vincent Aviation chief executive Peter Vincent said the initial flight would leave Christchurch tomorrow morning, and a flight was scheduled from Ashburton next Tuesday.
Mr Vincent said his brother, an Ashburton pilot, had flown to the icebergs this week and had been swamped with inquiries from prospective customers.
The Dash 8 was finishing a New Zealand tour in Christchurch today and would have "an unusual quiet period" for the next nine days.
"We thought we'd test the water and see what interest was around," Mr Vincent said.
"We decided it would be better to do it out of Christchurch where the market is obviously far greater."
Mr Vincent said if demand stayed high, flights from Timaru and Oamaru would be considered.
"A helicopter is a wonderful way to view the icebergs, but for people from Christchurch and Ashburton to have to head down to Dunedin and get on a helicopter from there is just not possible for some people, I guess."
Flights would cost $395 and last about 2 1/2 hours, allowing about half an hour over the icebergs.
The Dash would fly south to the furthest giant and then up the line, before returning to Christchurch via Banks Peninsula.
Mr Vincent said the aircraft would descend to about 1000ft over the icebergs, giving passengers a close-up experience helped by the Dash 8's high-wing configuration.
A row of front seats would be removed from the aircraft to allow passengers room to gather comfortably around the windows. A flight attendant would be aboard, and food and complimentary bubbly would be served.
Vincent Aviation was capable of running five or six flights a day and would consider sunrise and sunset flights which would give a "spectacular" view of the icebergs.
- NZPA
