13 Oct 2008

Jetstar to offer daily flights from Auckland

10:08 pm on 13 October 2008

The Australian budget airline Jetstar is expanding services in New Zealand with trans-Tasman flights from Auckland.

Jetstar, owned by Qantas Airways, already flies to Australia from Christchurch.

Jetstar says it will have daily flights from Auckland to Sydney and the Gold Coast from 28 April next year.

The standard fare will start from $NZ199.

Jetstar has been flying the Tasman route from Christchurch to a number of Australian cities since 2005 and says the expansion to Auckland is the next logical step in its profitable New Zealand operation.

It says the new Auckland services will not affect trans-Tasman services operated by Qantas.

Jetstar chief executive Bruce Buchanan says the airline hopes to make an impact on the New Zealand domestic scene in the future.

It is also considering offering international flights to the United States and parts of Asia.

New route for Pacific Blue

Pacific Blue is to launch its newest trans-Tasman route from Auckland to Sydney on Tuesday morning.

The discount airline, which already flies daily between Auckland and Melbourne, will fly a 180-seater Boeing aircraft on the Auckland-Sydney route nine times a week.

Virgin Blue Group chief executive Brett Godfrey said there was plenty of room in the market for the service and it was the first true low-fare airline in the New Zealand market.