Air New Zealand will be flying 7000 unaccompanied children over the holidays. Photo / Supplied, Air New Zealand
Air New Zealand will be flying 7000 unaccompanied children over the holidays. Photo / Supplied, Air New Zealand
Air New Zealand says it is preparing for the busiest winter school holiday period ever, carrying well over half a million Kiwis domestically.
670000 seats across 7500 domestic flights this July is a new record for the national carrier.
"We've seen a 52 per cent increase in seats for thisyear's school holidays versus last year," said the airline's chief sales officer Leanne Geraghty. It is a big increase on July 2020 which, in spite of pent-up demand, were still affected by covid disruption.
100000 of these seats are heading to Queenstown, the number one destination for the holidays. However other regional airstrip are also seeing record numbers, with Napier and Tauranga seeing over 500 services each.
Geraghty said the airline was intending to operate 56 per cent more domestic flights than during last year's school holidays, to cope with demand.
Auckland Airport has said it expects its busiest day since pre Pandemic travel.
On Friday around 28000 people will use the domestic terminal, as New Zealanders set off on school holiday travel.
Anna Cassels-Brown, general manager of operations at Auckland Airport, said airport staff were ready:
"Our staff have been working steadily through the recovery of the aviation and travel sector – now we're ready, and excited, about our biggest day since the outbreak of the pandemic."
Top 10 domestic travel days for July school holidays:
• Friday, 9 July • Friday, 16 July • Friday, 23 July • Sunday, 11 July • Sunday, 18 July • Sunday, 25 July • Monday, 12 July • Thursday, 15 July • Monday, 19 July • Thursday, 22 July
