Press Release – Auckland Airport
Auckland Airport today welcomed the announcement of a new trial Air New Zealand twice-weekly seasonal service between Auckland and Sunshine Coast Airport from 1st July 2012. This will be the first international service ever into the Sunshine Coast.

Auckland Airport general manager aeronautical commercial, Glenn Wedlock, was delighted about the announcement. “We believe this new seasonal Sunshine Coast service opens up many opportunities for both inbound and outbound travel. It’s a fast growing part of Australia with a demographic that has a propensity to travel, and with a lot of great leisure attractions for kiwis. We’re pleased to be working with Air New Zealand on this great new initiative.”

The new trial service will be operated by A320s on a Tuesday and Sunday for the seasonal peak between July and September and follows a lot of work behind the scenes between Air New Zealand, Auckland Airport, and Sunshine Coast Airport.

“The Sunshine Coast is an extremely popular leisure destination, and this service offers a convenient option for a mid-winter break”, said Mr Wedlock.

“With just a short trans-Tasman flight between the two destinations, and with world-class passenger processing including Smart Gate, we are confident that there will be plenty of demand and that the service will become a permanent feature in the ever growing choice of travel destinations offered out of Auckland.”

The Sunshine Coast has many diverse features and ranges from beaches to hinterlands to rainforests. It includes the popular towns of Caloundra, Mooloolaba and Noosa, plus attractions like Australia Zoo, Underwater World and Aussie World.

“Having this first direct service to the Sunshine Coast offers more accessibility from New Zealand and from the broader Air New Zealand network, and it means that our tourism industry can target this new catchment area. It’s another way that we can help develop and grow the Australian visitor market, which is so important to New Zealand”, said Mr Wedlock.

Press Release – Air New Zealand
Kiwis will be able fly to the heart of Queensland’s Sunshine Coast this winter with Air New Zealand launching the first international service into Sunshine Coast Airport as part of its trans Tasman alliance with Virgin Australia.

The new direct service between Auckland and the Sunshine Coast will operate twice a week on Tuesdays and Sundays on a seasonal basis between 1 July and 18 September. It will utilise an A320 aircraft offering a ‘Seats to Suit’ fare structure and seamless connections to the domestic and international networks of Air New Zealand and Virgin Australia.

Air New Zealand Chief Executive Officer Rob Fyfe says, “Every year almost a hundred thousand New Zealand leisure travellers arrive in Brisbane and make the 100km plus drive north to the popular Sunshine Coast beach resorts such as Noosa, Coolum, Mooloolaba and Maroochydore. This new service will cut down their travelling time by eliminating the commute from Brisbane Airport which can be more than two hours.

“There’s a long tradition of Kiwi travellers heading to Queensland for some winter sun so while we’re trialling this new service on a seasonal basis between July and mid September it may be possible to extend the season if there’s enough demand.”

Sunshine Coast Council Acting Mayor Tim Dwyer says the service will mark the first-ever international scheduled passenger services to and from Sunshine Coast Airport. “The first of July 2012 will be a historic day in the Sunshine Coast aviation calendar and for the Coast overall.

“Not only will this service connect the Sunshine Coast directly with our biggest international market but it also gives Sunshine Coast people the opportunity to connect via Auckland to destinations in the United States and beyond. We are truly entering a whole new chapter for tourism and economic activity.”

The direct flight to Sunshine Coast Airport at Maroochydore is on sale from 4pm with introductory fares from NZ$149 one way ex Auckland available for sale until 2 March.