Just a hop, skip and a jump across the ditch! Air New Zealand to resume Sunshine Coast flights
Flying three times a week on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday and departing Auckland at 9:10am, customers can be kicking back on the beach by lunchtime.
Air New Zealand General Manager Short Haul Airline Jeremy O'Brien says the route is always popular for Kiwis looking for a winter getaway to the beautiful Sunshine Coast.
"We've always seen great success on this route, and we expect this season to be no different. Running from 25 June 2023 to 15 October 2023, the flights will be operated on our A320/A321 aircraft and are on sale now.
"The incredible beaches, rich food culture and laid-back nature is the perfect place for Kiwis to unwind. Couples, families or even solo travelers are guaranteed to have a great time – there's something to do for everyone.
"Likewise, it makes travel for those visiting New Zealand from the Sunshine Coast much easier. With more than 360,000 people residing on the Sunshine Coast, a holiday to New Zealand to enjoy our ski season or to visit whānau and friends is much more accessible now we have the direct services back in the skies."
Air New Zealand flies to nine destinations around Australia including Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Hobart, Adelaide, Cairns, the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast.
"Australia is an important market for Air New Zealand, we're thrilled to be able to restart these seasonal services. The Aussie region makes up more than 20% of our network with over 2.6 million customers flying across the ditch pre-Covid. We look forward to continuing to offer them multiple gateways into and out of the country," says Mr O'Brien.
The schedule is as follows:
| Flight | Departing | Day | Time | Arriving | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NZ169 | Auckland | Wed, Fri, Sun | 9:10am | Sunshine Coast | 11.10am* |
| NZ168 | Sunshine Coast | Wed, Fri, Sun | 12.40pm* | Auckland | 5.50pm |
NZ169
Auckland
Wed, Fri, Sun
9:10am
Sunshine Coast
11.10am*
NZ168
Sunshine Coast
Wed, Fri, Sun
12.40pm*
Auckland
5.50pm
*Please note departure and arrival times change from 24 September 2023 (NZ169 10.10am arrival/NZ168 11.40am departure)
Ends
Issued by Air New Zealand Communications.
Email: media@airnz.co.nz │Phone: +64 21 747 320│Twitter: @AirNZMedia
About Air New Zealand
Air New Zealand's story started in 1940, first taking to the skies between Auckland and Sydney on a flying boat - a Short S30. Known for its warm Kiwi hospitality, today, the airline has 104 operating aircraft ranging from Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners and Airbus A320s to ATRs and Q300s, offering customers comfort in the latest most efficient jets and turboprops. It's a modern fuel-efficient fleet with an average age of 7.3 years. Air New Zealand's global network of passenger and cargo services centres around New Zealand. Pre-Covid, the airline flew more than 17 million passengers every year, with 3,400 flights per week. Air New Zealand was recently named the World's Safest Airline by the Australian rating service AirlineRatings.com, highlighting the airline's laser-focus on safety. Last year, Air New Zealand won Best Corporate Reputation in New Zealand – 8th year in a row.
Air New Zealand has a well-connected domestic business, connecting customers and cargo to 20 different regions around New Zealand. Internationally, the airline has direct flights to major cities across Australia, Asia, the Pacific Islands and the US, and through its strong relationships with alliance partners, offers customers more choice and convenience to connect further afield to hundreds of destinations. Air New Zealand has a particular focus on sustainability and its Sustainability Framework helps guide the airline's efforts in tackling some of New Zealand's and the world's most complex challenges. Air New Zealand aircraft are proudly identified by its distinct tail livery of the Mangōpare, the Māori symbol of the hammerhead shark which represents strength, tenacity, and resilience.
About Star Alliance
Air New Zealand is proud to be a member of Star Alliance. The Star Alliance network was established in 1997 as the first truly global airline alliance to offer worldwide reach, recognition and seamless service to the international traveller. Its acceptance by the market has been recognized by numerous awards, including the Air Transport World Market Leadership Award and Best Airline Alliance by both Business Traveller Magazine and Skytrax. The member airlines are: Aegean Airlines, Air Canada, Air China, Air India, Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Austrian, Avianca, Brussels Airlines, Copa Airlines, Croatia Airlines, EGYPTAIR, Ethiopian Airlines, EVA Air, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Shenzhen Airlines, Singapore Airlines, South African Airways, SWISS, TAP Portugal, Turkish Airlines, THAI and United. Overall, the Star Alliance network currently offers more than 18,500 daily flights to 1,321 airports in 193 countries.