It will be happy landings all round with the announcement of another new airline flying out of Palmerston North Airport.
Qantas-owned Jetstar, today unveiled its new regional network in New Zealand, launching low fares on five routes between Palmerston North, New Plymouth, Napier, Nelson, Auckland and Wellington.
The arrival of the low-cost airline in Palmerston North, gives more options to people in Manawatū, Whanganui and other nearby regions with people from the Kāpiti Coast and Wairarapa expected to use the service.
All the new regional routes will fly between the regions and Auckland, with the Nelson flights also going to Wellington.
Nelson-Auckland and Napier-Auckland return flights will commence flying from December 1, in time for the busy tourism season in both popular holiday destinations.
Flights out of Palmerston North and New Plymouth, as well as the Nelson to Wellington route, will begin flying on February 1 2016.
All flights are now on Jetstar's website for immediate booking, with the airline offering a special regional launch sale.
David Hall, chief executive of Jetstar Australia and New Zealand, made the announcement of the four regional destinations today at a press conference at Wellington Airport.
"Today we're delivering on our commitment to bring low fares and increased competition to communities around the country," said Hall.
Jetstar first announced plans for a regional network in June and has been considering proposals from locations across the country for its initial expansion.
"In the past several weeks our New Zealand management team has travelled to eight regional centres and received a warm welcome and very positive support in every city we've visited," said Hall. "The feedback we've received from local councils, airports, economic agencies, businesses, and the tourism and travel trade has been invaluable in helping us to choose our first four destinations."
“We've also had fantastic support from potential customers who are keen to have a choice of airlines.
"We believe the routes we've announced today offer the strongest opportunities to grow the market and make a real difference to local economies and locals' wallets, encouraging more travel and saving people money when they fly," said Hall.
Hall said the valuable relationships forged with all the regions would continue.
"We'll keep talking with stakeholders in Hamilton, Rotorua, Invercargill and Tauranga because they've all expressed a desire for airline competition and they support Jetstar's model of stimulating market growth through lower fares."
Head of Jetstar New Zealand, Grant Kerr, said the initial five regional routes would build a strong base for considering more regional destinations.
"On our visits throughout the country the message was loud and clear that regional Kiwis want Jetstar's entry to their markets to be sustainable because they’ve seen other airlines come and go," said Kerr. "So that's what we're doing; building a strong base with our initial destinations so we can look at other opportunities in the future."
"Jetstar has built a reputation for strong on-time performance and reliability on our domestic jet services in the past couple of years and we'll be bringing that focus to our regional services as well," said Kerr.
Regular one-way lead-in fares start from $45 on the New Plymouth-Auckland and Nelson-Wellington routes and $49 on the three other routes.
Business and community leaders unanimously welcomed the announcement of Jetstar's arrivial in Palmerston North.
Palmerston North mayor Grant Smith said the additional flights were welcomed for the city and for the broader region.
"It's only good news," he said.
"The region will get lower fares and it will also help people who otherwise couldn't travel."
"There is choice there for them," he said.
Smith announced Jetstar's decision at today's council meeting and councillors clapped and cheered.
He expected the move to give tourism in the region a boost and help retailers and agribusiness as well.
"It will bring more travellers to the region," he said.
"Attractions like the [Manawatū] Gorge and the Tui brewery will become more accessible."
Smith said the whole region got behind the campaign to bring Jetstar to Palmerston North after the airline announced in June that it was looking for potential routes outside of the main centres.
"Our mayors, our local MP's and business leaders have all been arguing for Palmerston North to be included. A large number of residents have been active on social media and many signed an on-line petition. It has been terrific response and it has paid off."
Palmerston North Airport chief executive David Lanham said the news was very exciting.
"I'm absolutely stoked. It's going to be a real game-changer.
"There is only an upside," he said.
Lanham said he expected increased options for people to travel in and out of the region would substantially lift passenger numbers.
"There will be more people through the airport and we are well placed to deal with that," he said.
He said existing infrastructure was good and would be enhanced by upgrading the car park and expanding the arrivals area.
"We want to make it easier for people to arrive and leave," he said.
Lanham thanked Hall and his team for selecting Palmerston North as one of the airline's new regional destinations.
"A lot of hard work has gone in behind the scenes by Jetstar and our regional leaders and airport management, to bring Jetstar to our region and I would like to thank everyone for their contribution.
"A key driver of Jetstar's selection of Palmerston North was their recognition of the airport's role as a regional gateway, with over 350,000 Kiwis living within 90 minutes drive of the airport. That's a clear strategic advantage that we have over many other airports in New Zealand and one that Jetstar recognise."
"We are ready to roll," he said.
Lanham said the longstanding relationship with Air New Zealand was unaffected.
"Air New Zealand has a massive role to play in this region. They are always going to be here," he said.
Destination Manawatū chief executive Lance Bickford said Jetstar's arrivial was good news.
"It reinforces the city as a hub of importance for the lower North Island," he said.
"It's good news for conventions and events.
"The region will be well served by having an additional carrier," he said.
Bickford said the timing of the first flights worked well with major Summer events like the Superstock Teams Champs in February and the Central Districts Field Days in March.
He said the region would be working towards increasing passenger numbers.
"Our aim is to work with all three parties.
"It's up to us to work with the airlines to make sure they stay here," he said.
Jetstar's regional network will add more than 670,000 new seats a year to the domestic market, a significant increase on the airline’s current domestic jet seat capacity of over 2.6 million seats annually.
The new services will be operated by a fleet of five 50-seat Bombardier Q300 turbo-prop aircraft. The first flights each day will take off from regional ports, with crew and aircraft positioned overnight in each of the new destinations. Recruiting has commenced for the 100 new jobs the regional expansion will create, with positions available for pilots, cabin crew, and ground crew.
All Jetstar domestic fares in New Zealand, including the new regional services, offer the ability to earn Qantas Frequent Flyer points.
Jetstar launched trans-Tasman flights in 2005 and established domestic operations in New Zealand in June 2009. The low-cost airline's fleet of nine Airbus A320 aircraft operate up to up to 250 domestic and 100 international flights a week. Jetstar has over 400 team members in New Zealand.
Source: Manawatū Standard, Press Release - Jetstar Airways, Press Release - Palmerston North City Council and Press Release - Palmerston North Airport
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