Qantas has resumed international services out of the Gold Coast, with thrice-weekly return flights to Auckland, departing Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
“We are thrilled to welcome Qantas back to our international network, further strengthening connectivity across the Tasman and providing customers with a business class option,” said Amelia Evans, CEO of Queensland Airports Limited, which operates Gold Coast Airport.
“Auckland is our busiest international route, with around 330,000 people travelling between the two cities in the past year alone and flights averaging around 90 per cent full – a clear reflection of the demand between our two regions,” said Evans.
The new services are supported by the state government’s aviation incentive initiative, the Connecting Queensland Fund.
“Today’s inaugural service marks an exciting new chapter for the Gold Coast, with Qantas adding 52,000 seats a year between the Gold Coast and Auckland,” said Qantas International CEO, Cam Wallace.
“We’re proud to be the only airline offering a business cabin on this route, giving travellers more choice and a premium experience across the Tasman.
“This is the first time in five years that international flights have been available from the Gold Coast [on Qantas], and we know there is strong demand from locals wanting to reconnect with New Zealand and explore more of our network.”
Experience Gold Coast CEO John Warn called the new flights “fantastic for our city and tourism industry”.
“New Zealand is our largest international market with 217,000 Kiwis choosing to visit our city last year, so expanding connectivity between our two destinations is vital to meet growing demand,” said Warn.
“With more than 7,000 of those visitors travelling here for business, the introduction of a business class option on the new Qantas service will be a welcome addition.”
The new Auckland flights follow the debut of Fiji Airways flights between the Gold Coast and Nadi last Thursday, offering both a Pacific connection and another one-stop connection between the Gold Coast and North America.
