Air New Zealand adds more than 9000 extra seats between Australia and New Zealand

Aussies will be happy to know a major airline has added more than 9000 seats per week to meet travel demand to this holiday hotspot.

Air New Zealand is adding two more of its new A321neo aircraft to its fleet by the end of next year to meet travel demand between Australia and New Zealand.

The 214-seat planes will add more than 9000 seats per week to the network and will also allow the airline to offer more competitive fares.

Air NZ chief customer and sales officer, Leanne Geraghty, said additional seats means customers will have more choice in terms of schedule and frequency.

“Being a new aircraft, it provides an exceptional customer experience on board with the latest interior products and fit-out, coupled with the customer service Air New Zealand is renowned for,” she told news.com.au.

According to International Travel & Migration Statistics NZ, in 2022 Queenstown saw more than 190,000 arrivals, with 87 per cent (167,000) from Australia alone.

Andrew Waddel, General Manager – Australia, Tourism New Zealand said Queenstown has always been a popular destination for Aussie travellers.

“In fact was recently ranked as one of the most loved destinations in the world, and there’s no questioning why,” he said.

“Often referred to as the adventure capital, the variety of experiences on offer proves popular among Australians. From exploring local award-winning wineries, gliding down the luge at

Skyline Queenstown, taking in the view on a scenic cruise to mountain biking through world-

famous trails, there’s something for everyone.”

Air NZ is adding two more of its new A321neo’s to its fleet by the end of next year to meet demand for travel between Australia and New Zealand. Picture: iStock

Starting October, Air NZ will introduce increased services on routes to and from Australia. Across the Tasman, it has 22 per cent more seats for Northern Winter (October 2023 – March 2024) compared with the same period last year.

During this period, the airline will add 25 per cent more seats on Christchurch-Brisbane and Wellington-Brisbane – that’s 25,000 extra seats between the cities.

Wellington-Melbourne will increase 38 per cent and Wellington-Sydney up 7 percent. More seats will be added from Auckland to Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Gold Coast and Hobart.

“Already, Air New Zealand has more capacity and flights across the Tasman than any other airline and our additional seats in time for summer, along with the arrival of new aircraft, will see that increase further,” Ms Geraghty said.

The 214-seat planes will add more than 9000 seats per week to the network and will also allow the airline to offer more competitive fares.

She explained the game-changing new aircraft — A321neo — are the most fuel efficient narrowbody aircraft available today.

“To put that in context, they are more than 15 per cent more fuel efficient on a per seat basis than the previous generation of narrow-body aircraft,” she told news.com.au.

“These aircraft are also perfectly suited for the short range travel across the Tasman and to the Pacific Islands.

In 2022, Queenstown saw more than 190,000 arrivals, with 87 per cent (167,000) from Australia alone.

“They’re modern aircraft with optimised cabin space to ensure our customers have a comfortable trip across the ditch.”

The new A321neos will be consistent with the rest of the airline’s Tasman narrow-body fleet and will be equipped with seat back in-flight-entertainment and on-board wifi.

“For Australians heading across the ditch, the New Zealand experience starts the moment they step on-board with Air New Zealand and receive our world famous manaaki (care),” she said.

In response to high demand across the regional network, the airline has also purchased two additional 68-seat ATR aircraft to boost capacity by almost 5,000 seats per week and fly customers across Aotearoa.

“These aircraft will provide even greater connectivity for international customers arriving in Aotearoa, connecting them to 20 regional destinations across the country,” Md Geraghty said.

These additional four aircraft mean the airline has a total of 16 aircraft on order including eight Boeing 787 Dreamliners, six Airbus A320/A321 and two ATR72-600, all scheduled for delivery between 2024 – 2028.