Invercargill is positioning itself as a new transtasman
gateway to Queenstown, with a start-up airline set to fly
into the city from Brisbane and Sydney, sources have
revealed.
The Invercargill City Council announced earlier this week it
was negotiating with an Australian airline to provide
transtasman flights.
City, airport and airline representatives met in Invercargill
on Wednesday.
Cr Norman Elder, in his capacity as chairman of the
council-owned Invercargill City Holdings, would not name the
airline involved.
However, two airline industry sources have confirmed it is
Pacific Wings, a start-up airline based in Australia.
The budget carrier is tipped to fly from Brisbane and Sydney
to Invercargill once a week, with services likely to be
increased to twice a week.
Souces said the transtasman flights to Invercargill would be
considerably cheaper than to Queenstown.
The service could be offered as early as next year, subject
to approval.
A Ministry of Transport spokeswoman confirmed the ministry
had discussed with airline representatives the requirements
for obtaining a New Zealand international air service
licence.
Pacific Wings, which has its headquarters in Melbourne, did
not return calls yesterday.
An application to the International Air Services Commission
to launch a transtasman service was made in June.
Pacific Wings spokesman Geoffrey Bowmaker said at the time
the airline was planning on launching services from
Australian cities to "secondary" New Zealand cities.
Invercargill Airport chief executive Barry Bouton would not
comment on the transtasman talks, but said if approval for
flights from Invercargill was granted, the airport could
complete a terminal upgrade within six months.
New Zealand Airports Association chief executive Kevin Ward,
of Wellington, said it was a complex and expensive exercise
for a regional airport to become an international airport.
Biosecurity, aviation security and customs would be required
before transtasman flights could begin, he said.
The Queenstown Airport Corporation and Dunedin International
Airport spokesmen said earlier this week they were not
concerned by Invercargill's latest move to become an
international airport.
Invercargill Mayor Tim Shadbolt said the city's proximity to
Queenstown, Fiordland, the Catlins and Stewart Island would
be a major drawcard to international visitors.
hamish.mcneilly@odt.co.nz
Flight numbers
- 141,500 flights by Southlanders a year through Invercargill
Airport.
- Southlanders take 19,500 flights a year through Dunedin
International Airport; 13,000 through Queenstown Airport.
- Southland businesses take 56,700 a year through
Invercargill Airport; 5400 flights through Dunedin; 3400
through Queenstown.
- Australia the overseas destination of choice for
Southlanders, accounting for 80% of overseas flights.
Source: Venture Southland
Bookmark/Search this post with:
A name, residential address, and (preferably residential) telephone number is required from readers who comment on ODT Online. These details will not be visible to site visitors.