More summer flights from Melbourne

There are going to be a lot of Australians here," Qantas regional general manager Grant Lilly said yesterday, announcing additional transtasman services direct to Queenstown from Melbourne this summer.

Mr Lilly, of Auckland, told the Otago Daily Times in addition to extra services from Melbourne and Brisbane for 13 weeks during the winter season, the airline would be adding seven supplementary services between Melbourne and Queenstown between December and January.

The seven return services would coincide with the increase in leisure travel over summer and be marketed in Adelaide, Perth and Melbourne as "one stop to Queenstown" services.

"The extra capacity will benefit the New Zealand tourism industry and we are pleased to offer our customers an extra service each week, on top of our existing three return services per week on the Melbourne to Queenstown route.

"It will also encourage Australians to take their holidays in Queenstown. The Melbourne departures connect really nicely with our domestic flights from Perth and Adelaide - we'll be marketing the flights in all three of the centres as `one stop to Queenstown'."

The additional weekly flights would operate from December 18, to January 29, 2011, he said.

The Melbourne to Queenstown flight would depart at 9.30am on Saturdays, with the return flight departing Queenstown at 3.35pm.

A one-way flight from Melbourne would cost $A357 and $A663 return, while one way from Queenstown to Melbourne would cost $339 and $732 return.

Qantas' additional winter services will begin on June 26 and run until September 19, with extra weekly schedules from Melbourne and Brisbane to Queenstown.

While in Queenstown, Mr Lilly was also meeting Queenstown Airport Corporation chief executive Steve Sanderson.

A resource consent hearing will begin on June 14, set down for seven days, for the airport's proposal to extend the operating hours, which begin at 6am, by two hours, to midnight.

Lakes Environmental planner Karen Page recommended commissioners accept submissions arguing night time flights should be rejected, but accepted the air noise boundaries needed to expand to enable airport growth, based on the airport's acoustic assessment.

Mr Lilly said Qantas was "strongly in support" of lights being installed at Queenstown Airport - even though the airline had "no plans at this stage" for night flying operations to the resort.