Stand by for cheap student air fares. Air New Zealand has confirmed the airline is to offer $39 standby fares for University of Otago and Otago Polytechnic students as part of a trial.
The offer, as reported by the Otago Daily Times last month, will entitle students to buy $39 standby fares, one way or return from Dunedin International Airport, to anywhere in the country - seat availability permitting.
Air New Zealand general manager domestic airline John Whittaker said Dunedin and Hamilton university and polytechnic students from Dunedin were chosen to trial standby fares because of their large student populations.
"It gives them the chance to get out and see other parts of the country."
While the tertiary institutions had no financial involvement, the trial had their support, he said.
Students were targeted because they had more "time available" and the trial, if successful, could be expanded to other centres.
The month-long trial would be judged on a range of factors, including its popularity, if it helped stimulate the market and if it was easy for airline staff to administer, he said.
Student standby fares were last offered by the airline in the early 1990s and few airlines used them today, he said.
The airline made no money from empty seats, but by trialling student standby fares the airline helped fill the aircraft and gauge interest in last-minute travel.
"There are certain flights that are often full, especially peak morning and evening flights and Friday and Sunday evenings. So we strongly recommend students look for flights outside of these times to provide them a better chance of getting a seat."
Asked if the offer could be widened to include non-students, Mr Whittaker said the airline already offered discounted fares on its Grabaseat website.
The website www.studentstandby.co.nz will go live on Monday and will list flights from Dunedin and include an indicator showing the likelihood of getting seats on flights, and information how the scheme works.
Dunedin International Airport chief executive John McCall said the announcement "will encourage travel that wouldn't have happened . . . that is a positive".
