Air New Zealand Continues to Pull Out All Stops to Meet Demand

Air New Zealand has scheduled an extra 2560 flights into and out of eleven key destinations on it's domestic network between 21 April and 29 July to help meet demand since the collapse of Qantas New Zealand. This represents a ten per cent increase on it's normal schedule to these destinations.

Using existing aircraft and a Saab leased from Ansett Australia subsidiary Kendall Airlines, along with two charter aircraft - a J32 from Air National and a Metroliner from Airwork, Air New Zealand is able to carry over 72,500 extra passengers into and out of Auckland, Blenheim, Christchurch, Dunedin, Hamilton, Invercargill, Nelson, Palmerston North, Rotorua, Wellington and Queenstown during the 14 week period.

Air New Zealand's President & CEO, Gary Toomey, said the airline has been constantly monitoring it's network to pinpoint key areas of demand and is acting quickly to plug gaps.

"We have consulted with regional leaders in Dunedin, Invercargill, Queenstown, Hamilton and Rotorua over the past week and our network planners have already been adding extra flights into these areas as well as Blenheim, Nelson and Palmerston North.

"There are now 764 more flights into and out of Nelson, 476 into and out of Blenheim and 82 additional flights into and out of Palmerston North. Additional flights have also been scheduled between Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington during the 14 weeks," Mr Toomey said

Total additional services for the other destinations are as follows:

Into and out of Hamilton from Auckland and Wellington, 355; Into and out of Christchurch from Auckland and Wellington, 175; Between Auckland and Wellington and return, 56; Between Dunedin and Christchurch and return, 96; Between Invercargill and Christchurch and return, 183; Into and out of Rotorua from Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington, 252; Into and out of Queenstown from Christchurch, 115. There are also eleven flights which will fly Christchurch to either Dunedin or Invercargill via Queenstown.

"We will continue to monitor demand and will be adjusting our schedule accordingly as crewing and aircraft availability allow," Mr Toomey said.

The schedule for the BAe146 aircraft will be announced shortly and is additional to these flights.