Jetstar to adjust operations in New Zealand in Nov-2012
Jetstar Australia and New Zealand CEO David Hall announced (19-Sep-2012) plans to increase domestic New Zealand and trans-Tasman capacity in Nov-2012. The airline plans to add a ninth A320 to its Auckland base and employ 50 more staff as part of the expansion. Jetstar will add up to 20 additional weekly return frequencies on Auckland-Wellington service and up to seven frequencies on Auckland-Christchurch and Wellington-Christchurch. The airline will, however, cancel five times weekly Christchurch-Queenstown service. Overall the airline expects to offer an additional 600,000 seats p/a on its domestic New Zealand network. On the LCC's trans-Tasman network, it will offer four additional Queenstown-Melbourne weekly frequencies and up to three additional Queenstown-Sydney frequencies, however, it will reduce Christchurch-Gold Coast and Christchurch-Melbourne frequencies by one each. Auckland Airport, Wellington Airport CEO Steve Sanderson and Wellington Mayor Celia Wade-Brown welcomed Jetstar's announcement of increased capacity. Schedule changes, effective 15-Nov-2012, as as follows - see Route Changes Table for more information:
- Auckland-Christchurch: Frequency increase from 36 to 43 times weekly;
- Auckland-Wellington: Frequency increase from 40 to 60 times weekly;
- Wellington-Christchurch: Frequency increase from 14 to 21 times weekly;
- Christchurch-Queenstown: Five times weekly service cancelled;
- Queenstown-Melbourne: Frequency increase from three to four times weekly;
- Queenstown-Sydney: Frequency increase from twice to three times weekly;
- Christchurch-Gold Coast: Frequency reduces from four to three times weekly;
- Christchurch-Melbourne: Frequency reduces from eight to seven times weekly.
Jetstar said the new schedule delivers 131,000 additional seats in Christchurch p/a despite the cancellation of Christchurch-Queenstown service and the reduction in frequencies to the Gold Coast and Melbourne. The airline said customers find it easier to fly to Queenstown directly from Auckland and Wellington rather than via Christchurch. [more - original PR - Jetstar] [more - original PR - Auckland Airport] [more - original PR - Wellington Airport]