Sunshine Coast Airport is set to receive its first ever international flights, as Air New Zealand revealed it would be its next trans-Tasman port.
The new direct A320 service between Auckland the Sunshine Coast, part of its trans-Tasman alliance with Virgin Australia, will operate twice weekly on a seasonal basis between July 1 and September 18. The route will offer the Seats to Suit fare structure and will offer connections to the international and domestic networks of both Air New Zealand and Virgin Australia.
Air NZ chief executive Rob Fyfe confirmed that the service was a trial, to be extended “if there’s enough demand.”
“Every year, almost 100,000 New Zealand leisure travellers arrive in Brisbane and make the 100km plus drive north to the popular Sunshine Coast beach resorts such as Noosa, Coolum, Mooloolaba and Maroochydore,” he said. “This new service will cut down their travelling time by eliminating the commute from Brisbane Airport which can be more than two hours.”
Meanwhile, Sunshine Coast Council Acting Mayor Tim Dwyer branded it “a historic day” offering the Queensland region greater access to its number one international market, and giving Sunshine Coast residents access to Air New Zealand’s international services.
“We are truly entering a whole new chapter for tourism and economic activity,” he said.
The Tourism and Transport Forum (TTF) claimed the new service could mark the start of a “Kiwi tourist boom” with the news coming at a time when Queensland tourism needed a “shot in the arm.”
“We would like to see this applied to other airports in eastern Australia who want to open their doors to trans-Tasman flights,” chief executive John Lee said, suggesting Newcastle and Canberra were prime candidates.
