Qantas Group to offer More Choice to New Zealand

The Qantas Group is to introduce new trans-Tasman schedules, with low cost airline Jetstar complementing Qantas services to Christchurch and opening up a new route between New Zealand and the Gold Coast.

The Executive General Manager of Qantas, Mr John Borghetti, said the new schedules, effective 1 December 2005, would provide customers with more flights and travel services, as well as around 1,500 extra seats in and out of Christchurch every week.

Qantas and Jetstar will both operate services between Christchurch and Sydney, with Jetstar offering 10 A320 return services on the route, and Qantas initially operating nine two-class Boeing 767 return flights a week for the peak school holiday season, moving to a daily service from February 2006.

Jetstar will operate nine return services a week between Melbourne and Christchurch - replacing current daily Boeing 737 services operated by Qantas - and daily services between Brisbane and Christchurch, replacing Qantas' daily Boeing 737 services.

"Qantas will continue to provide the majority of Qantas Group capacity on the Tasman - including the new year-round weekly services between Sydney and Queenstown from 1 October 2005 - but customers now also have the option of a lower cost alternative to the predominantly leisure market of Christchurch," Mr Borghetti said.

The Chief Executive Officer of Jetstar, Mr Alan Joyce, said one of the most exciting aspects of the new schedule was the chance to open a new route between the Gold Coast and Christchurch.

"We will be flying our A320s twice a week offering more than 350 seats each week in each direction and promoting new tourism opportunities for both Australia and New Zealand," he said.

Qantas currently operates more than 200 flights per week between Australia and New Zealand.

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