NZ Airports Association says travellers hold key

15 January 2014

NZ Airports Association says travellers hold key to keeping air fares competitive.

Air travellers should be taking more advantage of the airline competition available in New Zealand in order to get the best value, says the New Zealand Airports Association.

Chief Executive Kevin Ward said that many people stick to the same airline for all trips, just looking up one schedule when booking, but instead they should be shopping round for the best value.

“A change of habit will help ensure air travellers retain choice and good value in 2014, despite the disappearance of the popular Night Rider option,” said Mr Ward.

“It’s easy to get into a bad habit of looking up just one airline schedule when making a booking. We suggest getting into a new habit for 2014: always look for ‘the best deal at the right time’.”

Mr Ward said that by shopping round travellers will not only get better value deals, they will be helping maintain airline competition in New Zealand, another way of ensuring the best prices for travel.

“Special deals like Night Rider will come and go, but the important thing for the long term is to maintain airline competition and, accordingly, a good range of deals and options,” said Mr Ward.

“We are lucky to have competition and a choice of reliable carriers for flights between Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin and Queenstown but we can’t take it for granted. It really is a case of ‘use it or lose it’.”

NZ Airports recommends that when you know your main trunk travel requirements, check both the major airlines as early as possible for the flight options and package that suits you best.

“Good prices only exist because there are two competing airlines on the main north-south routes,” said Mr Ward. “Give them both full consideration when you are making a booking, and find the deal that suits you best.

“Checking all the options is the best way to maintain choice and value for travellers and that applies equally to personal travel and work trips – shopping round can make a difference to your business’s bottom line.

“If you compare the deals available between Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin and Queenstown, with those to regional centres where there is no choice of airline, then you can really see the benefits of competition.

“We have two great airlines on the main trunk. If we all make a point of looking for ‘the best deal at the right time’ we are doing our bit to maintain the benefits of competition, including innovation and low fares.”

ENDS

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