More flights from Auckland as demand keeps on growing

Flights from Auckland Airport will leave for Queenstown almost every two hours with Air New Zealand this summer, when the national carrier's fifth daily flight comes on stream.

Queenstown Airport Corporation was still working with the carrier on the timing of the flights, but expected the services to be later in the afternoon, aeronautical general manager Simon Barr said on Monday.

"We're pleased that they've recognised there's further potential on that Auckland-Queenstown route."

Extra connectivity and another option for people to get to the resort, at perhaps a more convenient departure time from Auckland, were among the benefits of the 32% boost in capacity.

"It would also give us the opportunity to get back up to Auckland later in the day and make it more possible for people to do more in Queenstown," Mr Barr said.

The increased capacity will take the total number of seats available on direct services over summer to 5200 each way, per week. The additional flights were expected to be available for booking from later this week, with four services per day in November, up from three, and five per day December through March.

The extra service was prompted by demand for seats being greater than supply, Mr Barr said.

"We've has strong year-on-year growth for four or five years. It's been quite a sensational ride, really.

"The capacity that's been added on the Auckland route in particular, with all airlines, has been really impressive."

Passenger numbers
• A third more passengers travelled through Queenstown Airport in July than in the same month last year, according to monthly corporation statistics released yesterday.
• In July, 124,201 passengers travelled through the airport. It was the largest number of people to pass through the airport in one month, up 27.1% on July last year.
• A total of 86,762 domestic passengers travelled through the airport in July.
• This was 30.1% more than last July, which was the largest monthly increase in domestic passengers in the last 12 months.
• International passengers were also up for the month, by 20.6%, or 37,439 passengers.
• Good weather, the impact of RNP (required navigation performance) technology reducing disruptions, good loadings and increased flight schedules all helped reach the totals, the corporation said.