Demand for flights from New Zealand to the Gold Coast is going from strength to strength, with Jetstar announcing it is boosting capacity on both its Dunedin and Hamilton services.
The routes, established with support from the Queensland Government’s Attracting Aviation Investment Fund (AAIF), have been operating three times weekly since June and have quickly exceeded expectations with more than 90% of seats booked on many flights.
As a result of this strong demand, Jetstar is adding a fourth weekly flight on each route from March next year.
Queensland Airports Limited’s Chief of Aviation Adam Rowe said it was very positive to see Jetstar add additional capacity to both routes just six months since launch.
“We welcome Jetstar’s commitment to the Gold Coast by continuing to build on the strong demand for travel between New Zealand and our region,” Mr Rowe said.
“Since launching these services in June – we've welcomed more than 40,000 passengers on these services and these additional flights will give travellers more options.
“Gold Coast Airport is Australia’s most connected airport to New Zealand and this further boosts our Trans-Tasman connectivity.”
Jetstar’s Executive Manager Commercial Planning Lyle Brownscombe said the additional flights will give customers on both sides of the Tasman more flexibility to plan their next getaway.
“We’ve seen strong demand for these services, and it’s clear the Gold Coast and New Zealand are both high on the holiday wish list.
“By adding extra services, we’re making it even easier than ever for families and friends to plan their next trip and enjoy more flexibility and choice.
“We’re excited to keep delivering great low fares with the support of the Queensland Government and Gold Coast Airport.”
“Jetstar’s announcement to expand the number of flights between the Gold Coast and Dunedin and Hamilton is terrific news for our city’s tourism industry and is recognition of the continued strength of the New Zealand market for our city,” Experience Gold Coast CEO John Warn said.
“We know that Kiwis love visiting the Gold Coast and the success of these two new Jetstar routes since they were launched in June shows we continue to be the destination of choice for New Zealand travellers.”
