GENERAL: AIA: Auckland Airport welcomes new Jetstar Queenstown services

14 Jul 2010 1:11 pm

AIA 14/07/2010 GENERAL

REL: 1311 HRS Auckland International Airport Limited

GENERAL: AIA: Auckland Airport welcomes new Jetstar Queenstown services

Media Release

14 July 2010

Auckland Airport welcomes new Jetstar services out of Queenstown

Jetstar move provides further opportunity to demonstrate benefits of stronger air-service networks with Auckland

Auckland Airport welcomed the announcement today by Jetstar that it is significantly expanding its Queenstown services, with the commencement in mid-December of twice weekly direct flights to Melbourne and to the Gold Coast, and an increase in services between Queenstown and Auckland from daily to 11 times a week.

With this move, Jetstar will expand its value-for-money services by over 50 percent (around 72,000 extra seats per annum) into the iconic holiday region of Queenstown.

Auckland Airport chief executive Simon Moutter said, "These new Jetstar services will stimulate further demand for the fantastic tourism attractions of Queenstown, and will drive substantial additional economic benefit to what is already the fastest growing tourism region in the country.

Auckland Airport believes this news represents an excellent opportunity to work in partnership with airlines to further demonstrate the mutual benefits of a multi-destination marketing and route development strategy to drive stronger tourism growth.

Moutter said, "These additional flights will increase the potential for tourists to fly with Jetstar into Queenstown from Australia and Auckland.

"They will also strengthen connectivity with other Jetstar services from further afield such as the recently announced Jetstar direct flights between Auckland and Singapore commencing in March 2011", said Moutter, "and that is exactly the sort of win/win linkages we want to develop with airlines to build growth".

These additional Jetstar services into Queenstown follow hard on the heels of a strategic alliance formed between Queenstown Airport and Auckland Airport on 8 July 2010. This strategic alliance commits both airport companies to work together to drive more tourist traffic into New Zealand and through the two airports.

The twice weekly Queenstown-Melbourne A320 service commences 16 December and Queenstown-Gold Coast flights, a new trans-Tasman route, start from 17 December 2010. Jetstar will also expand its Auckland-Queenstown services from daily to 11 times per week (from 16 December 2010), offering even greater opportunity to connect throughout Jetstar's network in New Zealand to more Australian destinations and across the Asia Pacific region.

Moutter added, "Like many others in the tourism sector, we see the Queenstown Lakes District as one of the jewels in New Zealand tourism's crown. It is a highly attractive and complementary destination that strengthens our itinerary mix when marketing air services into New Zealand internationally. We welcome the move by Jetstar to deliver more people to a memorable Queenstown tourism experience."

Ends

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Richard Llewellyn Senior communications manager +64 9 255 9089 +64 27 477 6120 End CA:00197254 For:AIA Type:GENERAL Time:2010-07-14:13:11:33

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