Passenger numbers up at Queenstown

International passenger numbers increased nearly 40% in March thanks to increased flight capacity...
International passenger numbers increased nearly 40% in March thanks to increased flight capacity. Photo by ODT.

Queenstown's Airport's international passenger numbers increased nearly 40% in March on the corresponding month last year, with increased flight capacity and strong passenger loadings of 81%.

Figures released by Auckland International Airport yesterday, showed 33,019 international passengers passed through Queenstown Airport last month, up from 23,651 in March last year.

In the year to date, 322,328 international passengers passed through, up 27.6% on last year.

Auckland Airport said the Melbourne route performed particularly well, with 18 additional flights in and out of Queenstown and a 47% increase in passengers compared with March 2014.

Domestic passenger numbers also performed well with a 9% increase.

International passengers - excluding transit passengers - at Auckland Airport were up 13.5% in March on the corresponding period last year.

The 87,000 increase was driven by increased capacity on Asian routes (up 35.4%) and stronger passenger loadings of 84% on transtasman services to the ICC Cricket World Cup.

Strong visitor arrivals from Asia continued at the airport, with Chinese arrivals up 32.1% compared with March 2014 and totalling more than 275,000 arrivals for the rolling 12-month period.

Visitor arrival numbers from Japan (up 19.3%), India (up 52.1%), Korea (up 12.3%) Hong Kong (up 62.7%) and Taiwan (up 10.5%) were all significantly higher than in March 2014, the airport said.

Cathay Pacific extended its double-daily Auckland-Hong Kong service to mid-March and planned to upgrade from A340 aircraft to 777-300s next summer, representing a 20% capacity increase for each flight.

Transtasman travel was stimulated by the cricket world cup during March with strong loads on Emirates, the official partner airline.

The Eden Park semifinal helped boost South African visitor arrivals by 63.5% in March and the Black Caps' qualification for the final resulted in Melbourne flights selling out.

Air New Zealand, Virgin Australia and Qantas all added extra return services between Auckland and Australia to meet demand, the airport said.

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