Pacific Blue starts BNE-ZQN

[Steve Jones]

Just saw this on the Virgin Blue website

Flights commence 25 June, and operate 2x weekly (their page showed flights on Friday and Sundays with a BNE originating aircraft).

Not sure if this is a seasonal service or intended to be year-round. Is there a press release floating around?

[Anthony T]

Here is the media release :

SWAP QUEENSLAND FOR QUEENSTOWN!
PACIFIC BLUE ANNOUNCES DIRECT BRISBANE-QUEENSTOWN FLIGHTS FOR THE SKI SEASON
SALE FARES AVAILABLE NOW FROM JUST $249*

Thursday 4 March 2010: Pacific Blue will be flying Queensland skiers straight to the slopes this winter with two direct flights a week from Brisbane to New Zealand’s ski capital of Queenstown from the end of June.

The seasonal flights on Fridays and Sundays will double Pacific Blue’s international services into the winter resort, which are currently two flights a week from Sydney operated on Tuesdays and Saturdays.

To celebrate the new services snow bunnies are invited to hop aboard early with internet sale fares for the non-stop flights from just $249* one-way, available now until midnight 11 March or sold out.

Virgin Blue CEO Brett Godfrey said Queenstown was an iconic ski destination for Australians and he was sure the new low fares to fly direct from Brisbane would be warmly welcomed.

“We know that many Queensland skiers currently fly via Christchurch to get to Queenstown so we’re sure they’ll be delighted to be able to get across the ditch in a single hop.

“Since we began our Sydney and Auckland services to Queenstown in September last year we’ve seen very good loads and we expect these to be even stronger during the ski season, especially if New Zealand experiences the fantastic snow conditions it had in 2009.”

The seasonal Brisbane-Queenstown flights will begin on 25 June and the last seasonal service will be on 12 September, providing a total of 22 return ski flights and adding over 3,000 seats to the Queenstown market from Australia.