Airlines deny price gouging for All Whites playoff

The crowd wave their shirts near the end of the 2010 FIFA World Cup soccer qualifier between the All Whites and Bahrain. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Air New Zealand and Jetstar have been accused of price gouging by fans wanting to travel to Wellington for the All Whites World Cup playoff against Peru on November 11.

The prices for flights from Auckland to Wellington on the morning of November 11 range between $229 and $329 on Air New Zealand, and a flat $269 on all Jetstar flights, a huge jump on regular prices for both airlines.

A ticket between the two cities for travel on any of the three prior Saturdays would cost a fraction of the price, starting at just $69.

Likewise, return flights have also seen a steep increase. Prices on Air New Zealand are around double that of the three prior Sundays, as are those for the final flight to Auckland from Wellington on Saturday at 7.45pm.

Jetstar is no different. A return flight on Sunday would cost at least $269, double the price of flights a week earlier on November 4.

However, Jetstar has said the increased prices simply reflect the high demand from the public.

"We've seen a jump in demand on some flights to Wellington on Saturday 11 November ahead of the All Whites game. When demand is high the number of seats at the lowest fares can sell out quickly," a Jetstar spokesperson said.

A spokesperson for Air New Zealand echoed the comments made by Jetstar, and recommended customers book their flights as early as possible.

Air New Zealand was exploring options for deploying additional services to accommodate demand over that weekend, the spokesperson said.