Air New Zealand is celebrating strong forward bookings for its soon-to-be relaunched Auckland to Hobart route, with demand “already exceeding” last year’s levels.
Speaking to Pulse, the airline’s General Manager of International Jeremy O’Brien said they’re “delighted” with ticket sales ahead of the first flight landing in the Tasmanian capital on Sunday morning.
“While there’s a slight tilt towards outbound travel, bookings in both directions are solid,” he told Pulse.
“Long weekend getaways are proving especially popular, with our schedule perfectly timed for customers to depart on Thursday and return on Sunday.”
“It’s clear that travellers on both sides of the Tasman are eager to make the most of this convenient seasonal escape.”
The airline will operate three weekly return flights between Auckland and Hobart on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.
Combined, the flights will offer more than 600 seats in each direction every week.
This weekend’s arrival marks the seasonal return of the airline to Hobart after a six-month hiatus following the route’s suspension in April.
According to government data, Air New Zealand flights to Tasmania experienced low passenger loads, averaging under 50%, during the winter months of July and August in 2023.
Across the entire year, flights to Hobart averaged 71.63% capacity and flights to Auckland averaged 72.08%.
Air New Zealand remains optimistic about the route’s potential, with the seasonal service scheduled to continue until March 27, 2025.
Hobart Airport chief executive Norris Carter said around 10% of passengers who flew in from Auckland during the previous peak were North American visitors.
“[This route allows them to] fly to Australia but avoid the huge queues of the mainland hubs,” he said.
“For Tasmanian travellers, it not only means they have a chance to check out New Zealand, but they have a one stop option to jet across the world to destinations including the USA and Pacific Islands.”
The resumption complements significant investments being made at the airport, including a $130 million runway upgrade, a $200 million terminal redevelopment and over $20 million invested in car parks, forecourt and road network.
