Pacific Blue launch Australia-Hamilton flights

[Justin L]

Pacific Blue are launching flights between Sydney/Brisbane and Hamilton in New Zealand. Flights will be three weekly from Sydney and three weekly from Brisbane.

Details here.

Pacific Blue launches Hamilton flights
June 3, 2009 - 8:59AM

Pacific Blue has confirmed the launch of a trans-Tasman service out of Hamilton, filling the gap left when Air New Zealand axed international flights from the city in April.

The Christchurch-based airline, a subsidiary of Virgin Blue, has been operating at the four main airports for 18 months.

From the first week of September, it will be offer six direct flights from Hamilton to Australia weekly - three to Sydney and three to Brisbane.

Connecting fares will be offered to Perth, Melbourne, Canberra and other Australian and international destinations.

To mark the launch, the airline on Wednesday announced a two-week sale of special introductory one-way internet fares of $169 to Sydney and $199 to Brisbane.

It said its regular fares would be at least 25 percent lower than fares currently available for connecting flights from Hamilton to Brisbane or Sydney on other airlines.

Virgin Blue Group chief executive Brett Godfrey said although times were tough the airline was always on the lookout to enter markets that were "under-served".

"As Hamilton currently has no international services in place, it was an obvious opportunity for us," he said.

The airline was shuffling capacity and, as a result of the new services, some flights from other New Zealand cities, including to the Pacific, would be reduced.

The decision to begin services from Hamilton was based partly on the huge support the Waikato business community had shown the airline, Mr Godfrey said.

Air New Zealand said it scrapped its international service from Hamilton because not enough people used the flights, and more than 90 percent of those who did bought the cheapest fares.

Pacific Blue's announcement comes as competition in New Zealand skies hots up, with low-fares airline Jetstar due to expand its services next week.

© 2009 NZPA

[Mike W]

Also in the NZ Herald

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/ar...ectid=10576066

I'd expect the Airline (DJ) to market this agreesively along the lines of how Air New Zealand is abandoning the region.

Hamilton Mayor Bob Simcock said he could not discuss details of the plans but said the airline could provide a welcome economic boost to the city.

"International flights are important for us because they bring income into the region. There has been a fairly strong expression of frustration with Air New Zealand's decision."

Also mentioned domestic competion arriving next week in the form of JQ.

Pacific Blue will face added domestic competition when Jetstar starts next week.

[Mike W]

From Stuff.co.nz

http://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/246602...milton-flights


More of the same really.

Discussion on A.net centres on the routes being operated by 738. I was kinda hoping for E190.

[Jarden S]

Originally Posted by Mike W

From Stuff.co.nz

http://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/246602...milton-flights


More of the same really.

Discussion on A.net centres on the routes being operated by 738. I was kinda hoping for E190.

I thought the reason why Air NZ pulled the route because their A320 was too big a plane to fill out of Hamilton when their load factors were in the 50% range. How is DJ gonna fill up a 738 out of Hamilton it will be a challenge, the E190 would be more suited and the same could be said for Dunedin.

[Dan Hammond]

It will be interesting to see the loads they do get on these services.

[Michael Morrison]

Originally Posted by Jarden S

I thought the reason why Air NZ pulled the route because their A320 was too big a plane to fill .

I thought the services ran ok whilst as freedom air.... it was only when it wnet back to being NZ with J and higher fares that the route failed.

[Jarden S]

Trans Tasman flights would be the most viable out of Hamilton over other provicial cities of NZ. Hamilton has 166 000 where down the road Palmerston North is half the size at 75 000. Dunedin is just 120 000. Also Hamilton is growing by far the fastest the other two are just standing still i.e zero population growth

[Rod Sloan]

Originally Posted by Michael Morrison

I thought the services ran ok whilst as freedom air.... it was only when it wnet back to being NZ with J and higher fares that the route failed.

Nail on head.