Brisbane, Sydney night flights added

Night flights to and from Queenstown will expand to two more Australian cities next winter.

Air New Zealand and Virgin Australia are joining forces to operate 38 return services a week from Brisbane and Sydney to the resort, with four arriving or departing after dark.

Virgin Australia will operate night flights from Brisbane to Queenstown on Fridays and Sundays from June 23, while Air New Zealand will operate after-dark flights from Sydney to the resort on Saturdays and Sundays from July 1.

Virgin Australia Airlines group executive John Thomas said its Queenstown to Brisbane ''Ski Shuttle'' service would allow passengers to get a full day's skiing or snowboarding before flying home in the evening.

The flights go on sale today, but are subject to approval by aviation authorities in both countries.

Air New Zealand began operating after-dark flights between Auckland and Queenstown in June, while Jetstar introduced the first transtasman night flights, between Melbourne and the resort, the same month.

Destination Queenstown chief executive Graham Budd said every time airlines had put on new transtasman services to Queenstown in the past few years they had been able to sell the seats.

''They're showing confidence that will continue.

''Frankly I think they'll keep doing it until at some point the demand flattens off, but there's no evidence of that happening any time soon.''

He had been anticipating more after-dark flights to hit the market, and the timing of yesterday's announcement made sense.

''A lot of people are starting to think about what they might do for their ski seasons.''

Queenstown Airport chief executive Colin Keel was not available for comment, but figures show the number of international passengers moving through the airport increased by 6% between June and August, from 152,967 to 162,506.

The airport completed a $19.6 million runway infrastructure upgrade in April to enable after-dark flights.

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