5 February, 2014
New service ready for take-off
Passengers wanting to fly between Auckland and Rotorua during the week will have a bigger and better option as of this
coming Sunday.
From February 9, Air New Zealand will be operating a larger Q300 aircraft on its weekday morning flights between
Auckland and Rotorua. Departure times are also changing, with the Auckland to Rotorua flight moving from 8:05am to
8:30am, and the Rotorua to Auckland service leaving slightly later at 9:30am instead of 9am.
The 50 seat Q300 aircraft provides an additional 31 seats per flight, the equivalent of a 30% increase in passenger
capacity.
Airport chief executive Alastair Rhodes says the scheduling changes and increased capacity are already proving popular.
“These changes to the Auckland and Rotorua routes are a positive development for our region. Forward bookings on the
route have already experienced double digit growth compared to the previous year, as a result of the Q300’s 30% capacity
upgrade. This is encouraging.”
He says increased seat numbers also have the potential for Air New Zealand to offer cheaper tickets, with $79 lead in
fares.
“The fact Air New Zealand is providing the increased capacity without any decrease in frequency means we get the benefit
of an efficient and cost-effective schedule for locals and visitors to and from Rotorua. This is made even more
significant by the fact the Auckland to Rotorua link is a critical tourism route for the region.”
He says the future of the service is bright, with the next objective being the introduction of the larger Q300 planes on
the evening service.
“The new morning service is a great development, but we still need to work together as a community to demonstrate the
justification of a larger aircraft, as well as the introduction of the Q300 on the evening service as well.
“The Auckland to Rotorua route has huge potential, with easier and more economical ways of getting to and from Auckland,
be it for business, concerts, international connections, sporting events and so on.”
The Q300 flights are available for booking now at www.airnewzealand.com. Further information is available at www.rotorua-airport.co.nz
ENDS