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Air New Zealand Group Expands Freedom Air services
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12 July 2002

The Air New Zealand Group announced today the expansion of Freedom Air services and the reduction of fares from Queensland to New Zealand. 

The new services, which commence on 27 October, will take to 50 the number of weekly flights from Queensland by Air New Zealand and Freedom Air, which together will offer services to New Zealand from three ports - Brisbane, Gold Coast and Cairns.

The combined services of the airlines will also offer a substantial boost to Queensland tourism, with flights from Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Hamilton, Dunedin and Palmerston North.

Under the new schedule, Freedom Air will provide direct services from Brisbane to Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch and from the Gold Coast to Christchurch.

It will also expand its current Gold Coast to Auckland services, and continue to operate from Brisbane and the Gold Coast to Hamilton and Dunedin, and from Brisbane to Palmerston North.

Overall, the changes will result in the Air New Zealand Group providing 19% more seats and lower fares between Brisbane and New Zealand. 

To launch the new services, Freedom is offering an introductory fare of just $477 from Brisbane to Auckland, Wellington or Christchurch, and a $469 fare from the Gold Coast to Christchurch. These fares include all taxes and charges, except the New Zealand departure tax. They can be purchased until 5 August, for travel between 27 October and 8 December.

All Freedom flights will be operated with single-class Boeing 737-300 jets, each configured to seat 142 passengers. Air New Zealand 737s offer 112 seats in a two class international cabin and 136 seats in New Zealand domestic layout.

"The clear message in research of our leisure customers was the demand for lower fares and more flights," said Mr Norm Thompson, Senior Vice President, Sales and Distribution, Air New Zealand. "By using Freedom on this prime leisure route, we can respond directly to our customers' needs. 

Mr Thompson said the decision to make these changes reflected the Air New Zealand Group's determination to utilise its suite of three airline brands (Air New Zealand's long haul services, Freedom Air and Air New Zealand's short haul services) to deliver choice for its customers.

"The overall increase in capacity between Queensland and New Zealand also signals our ongoing support for tourism on both sides of the Tasman," said Mr Thompson.

Harnessing Freedom Air's ability to offer the most competitive fares, the Group will launch a raft of 16 Freedom flights per week from Brisbane to Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, starting 27 October.

Freedom will offer three Brisbane - Auckland flights per week, six Brisbane - Wellington flights per week (not Tuesdays) and daily service to Christchurch. There will also be three new flights per week from the Gold Coast to Christchurch.

Air New Zealand will retain a daily service from Brisbane to Auckland and a twice weekly service from Brisbane to Christchurch (Friday and Saturday), but will cease its operations from Brisbane to Wellington on 27 October. Freedom will now fly this route.

Members of Air New Zealand's Air Points programme for frequent flyers will be able to redeem Air Points for flights on Freedom Air. Freedom plans to make redemptions available on these routes to customers from late October.

From 27 October, the Air New Zealand Group will operate the following flight frequencies between Queensland and New Zealand:

- BRISBANE - AUCKLAND 10
- BRISBANE - CHRISTCHURCH 9
- BRISBANE - WELLINGTON 6
- BRISBANE - HAMILTON 5
- BRISBANE - PALMERSTON NORTH 3
- BRISBANE - DUNEDIN 3
- GOLD COAST - AUCKLAND 7
- GOLD COAST - CHRISTCHURCH 3
- GOLD COAST - HAMILTON 1
- GOLD COAST - DUNEDIN 1
- CAIRNS - AUCKLAND 2

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