Qantas increases flights to NZ as demand surges

[jakeseven7]

Some good news for Trans Tasman travellers!

I must admit as we’ve been booking work travel, it’s definitely busy.

I wonder if Virgin will try and accelerate their return…

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QANTAS RAMPS UP NZ NETWORK, RETURNS TO QUEENSTOWN​

Qantas has reinstated four routes to New Zealand to keep up with growing passenger demand, ahead of the country’s busy winter ski season.

On Monday, Qantas resumed flights from Sydney and Melbourne to Wellington, as well as its Sydney-Queenstown and Melbourne-Christchurch services. Meanwhile, its Brisbane-Christchurch service will resume on Tuesday, 24 May.

The airline noted that all newly reinstated flights into New Zealand from Australia on Monday were at full capacity, highlighting the current surging demand for trans-Tasman travel.

Meanwhile, Flight QF121 from Sydney to Queenstown marked the first international flight to arrive at the airport in 330 days and was met with a water salute.

Flights from both Melbourne and Brisbane to Queenstown are scheduled to resume from 18 June and mark the return of Qantas’ full pre-COVID network to New Zealand, with capacity to exceed pre-COVID levels.

Qantas ramps up NZ network, returns to Queenstown

Qantas has reinstated four routes to New Zealand to keep up with growing passenger demand, ahead of the country's busy winter ski season.

australianaviation.com.au

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

NZ also now has its own computerized based PaxDec, digital laptop way to fill in their incoming immi details, not sure if this takes over from their incoming pax cards, or an extra thing that has to be done.
Great to see more flights, but a bit more computer time has to be spent by us, filling in details of the trip, both to enter NZ doing typing, and then also on the return to Aust with the Aust DPD typing.
Not that I have done either, but it does look like at least a half an hour time frame needed to do the DPD in the first place, if its the first one.
Needing to take photo of passport data page, tried a few times, my Aust passport won't stay open on the data page, and my smart phone needs 2 hands to take pix, plus selfie.
Edit: NZ's one is called NZ Traveller Declaration.
As opposed to Aust's Digital Passenger Declaration.

 

[encryptededdy]

Good news. I have a direct flight to Wellington booked soon and I was wondering whether Qantas would delay their route launch as they have done many times for other routes (and therefore cause me to be routing via. Auckland + JQ Domestic). Domestic to International or vice-versa transit at Auckland Airport isn't particularly great right now since you can't walk between the terminals right now due to renovations.

 

[Kiwi_Flyer]

The NZ traveller declaration has been in place for over a month. Like the Oz DPD there is still a paper arrival card to fill in also.

As long as QF has enough staff they were unlikely to delay the resumption of WLG & ZQN flight - everything is nearly full for at least the next month.

I have a few trips booked coming up from when they opened the schedule. If there is an irrop or misconnect (or covid test +ve) there could be quite a delay for rebooked flight. This is one reason why OTP has been so poor lately for existing tasman flights - they are being held for late connecting pax since no easy way to rebook in reasonable time frame.

 

[jakeseven7]

As long as QF has enough staff they were unlikely to delay the resumption of WLG & ZQN flight - everything is nearly full for at least the next month.

We are trying to get people to Wellington and QF is absolutely rammed, we are having to route some people through AKL!

 

[Kiwi_Flyer]

We are trying to get people to Wellington and QF is absolutely rammed, we are having to route some people through AKL!

Going via AKL is a pain due to highly variable delays at arrival (not enough staff for health document checks). Plus currently unable to walk between terminals due to construction. Taking the bus adds 10-20 mins.

 

[jakeseven7]

Going via AKL is a pain due to highly variable delays at arrival (not enough staff for health document checks). Plus currently unable to walk between terminals due to construction. Taking the bus adds 10-20 mins.

Tell me about it....

We are lobbying QF for an extra flight (We have been successful before - but that was to Tassie not NZ....).

Our Business Manager said they are at more than +120% pre-covid capacity now for QFd which is pretty amazing considering, so don't love our chances freeing up another 737 for a mercy dash across the Tasman

 

[wannabeinvestmentbanker]

SYD to AKL and WLG could definitely go one more. Colleagues have had to waste a day flying in the morning just to get to NZ and getting a J seat can be next to impossible.

 

[jakeseven7]

SYD to AKL and WLG could definitely go one more. Colleagues have had to waste a day flying in the morning just to get to NZ and getting a J seat can be next to impossible.

Perhaps even 2. Or more widebodies on AKL.

MEL needs another too.

Are all the QF A330’s back in action now?

 

[TomVexille]

MEL-CHC is still only 4 times a week, and the 7:20am departure is never going to get my custom. The return is good though.

Can't wait for VA to get back into the market.

 

[Kendall Roy]

Just need NZ to drop testing requirements, then they'll really be humming along!

 

[jakeseven7]

Just need NZ to drop testing requirements, then they'll really be humming along!

Seem to be regardless to be honest judging by how busy the flights are.

And 'supervised RAT' is quite easy to work around for people

 

[jpp42]

Sounds like QF needs to take delivery of those 3x extra 787's for long-haul and cascade down some A330's to trans-Tasman? In turn frees up more 737's for domestic.

I wonder what's holding them up taking the last 787's when they are happy to splash cash on other stuff.

 

[jakeseven7]

Sounds like QF needs to take delivery of those 3x extra 787's for long-haul and cascade down some A330's to trans-Tasman? In turn frees up more 737's for domestic.

I wonder what's holding them up taking the last 787's when they are happy to splash cash on other stuff.

Umm google Boeing 787 and see what is happening to all airlines with 787 orders....

 

[TomVexille]

Just need NZ to drop testing requirements, then they'll really be humming along!

They have said they will remove the requirement no later than 31 July 2022