Background
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Qantas has this week published a change to its
schedule on flights operating between Queenstown and Sydney, with the current
late evening service now departing in the early morning.
§
The new schedule provides more convenient
connectivity for Queenstown customers forward travelling to other destinations
on the Qantas network, with the main benefit enabling same-day transit on a
range of international routes via Sydney.
§
The key change will see the current 8.00pm
service now depart Queenstown at 7.00am, arriving in Sydney in the early
morning ahead of most daily international departures with key destinations, including Singapore, Hong Kong, Haneda and Seoul.
§
Previously, Queenstown customers would need to
stay overnight in Sydney or travel via Auckland to transit to other Qantas
international routes.
§
With this change, Qantas is now the only airline
to fly from Queenstown across the Tasman in the early morning and provide
international connectivity.
§
In addition, the schedule change will offer more
convenient one-stop connectivity to passengers transiting to more than 25
destinations around Australia.
§ The new schedule is now live on Qantas.com/NZ and will take effect from November 2024.
Quote attributed to Queenstown Airport Chief
Operating Officer Todd Grace:
“We are pleased to support Qantas’ schedule change on its
Queenstown to Sydney service. The majority of trans-Tasman flights depart
Queenstown in the afternoons, this additional flight offers an evening arrival
and an early morning departure providing greater flexibility for locals and
visitors alike. Preparations at Queenstown Airport have been under way for some
months, and we’ve appreciated the collaborative approach from our colleagues at
New Zealand Customs and the Ministry of Primary Industries to accommodate this change.”
“There has been an increase in trans-Tasman passenger numbers this year, compared to last, so we’re confident this new service will be a welcome addition to the schedule.”
Quote attributed to Qantas International CEO Cam Wallace:
“We’ve designed our new trans-Tasman schedule to make it
easier for Kiwis to connect to international destinations. This latest change
is all about making those connections even smoother.”
“We’re carrying more passengers across the Tasman than ever
before and this winter we’re offering even more direct flights to Queenstown
than last year.”
