Freedom Air New Discount Deals

Media release

18 May 2001

FREEDOM AIR FLIES THE TRANS-TASMAN FLAG

WITH NEW DISCOUNT DEALS

Hard on the heels of the launch of its value-based domestic service, New Zealand airline Freedom Air today announced substantial discounts on its trans-Tasman flights. Effective May 20, the fares slice $50 from Freedom Air’s already affordable prices.

Fares from Hamilton or Palmerston North to Sydney or Melbourne start from $409 return, Hamilton or Palmerston North to Brisbane or the Gold Coast start from $429 return and Dunedin to Melbourne return start from $429 return.

Rachel Gardiner, Freedom Air sales and marketing manager, says “the new fares give travellers a great opportunity to take a winter break. When the winter blues set in, what better time is there to relax on the sunny side of the Tasman.”

Travel must be booked between May 20 and June 10, with travel commenced and completed between July 22 and September 9. Seats at these prices are limited and must be booked earlier than 14 days of departure. Bookings can be made through the airline’s internet site - www.freedomair.com where passengers can make further savings and are automatically entered into a monthly draw to win their money back. Alternatively passengers can book by phoning the reservation centre on 0800 600 500.

Freedom Air International has been operating its transtasman service for more than five years and has built an enviable record for safe, reliable, efficient, friendly service.

On the back of its international success, it launched a domestic service on May 1, flying Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. In its first two weeks of operation it took more than 20,000 domestic bookings and carried more than 5,000 passengers.

ends

For further information, please contact:

Rachel Gardiner

Sales and Marketing Manager

Freedom Air

Tel: + 64 9 912 6980 Claudia Macdonald/Kareen Floyd

WRC

Tel: + 64 9 306 1804

Mob: 025 932 418/025 831 466

FREEDOM AIR INFORMATION

- Freedom Air International launches November 8, 1995 as a value-based airline operating between New Zealand and Australia. The name Freedom is chosen to reflect the aim of the airline - freeing people from the daily grind and giving them the opportunity to fly cheaply. The sun logo is chosen to reflect the sun, sea and relaxed atmosphere of holidays.

- The first Freedom Air flight takes off December 8, carrying 56 people between Auckland and Sydney. Flights available from Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin. Aircraft and pilots, cabin crew and engineers wet leased from UK-based Britannia Airways.

- Freedom Air’s Open Skies reservations system goes live April 18,1996. Freedom Air now the first totally ticketless airline in the Pacific.

- Flights from Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch cease on April 27, 1996 in favour of greater focus on flights from Hamilton and Dunedin and a new provincial gateway in Palmerston North.

- On March 31, 1997, Freedom Air gets its own Air Services Certificate and is now able to operate in its own right. It begins operations April 5 with its own 737-300, the first New Zealand registered aircraft of that type.

- Freedom celebrates carriage of 200,000th passenger, August 20 1997.

- April 15, 1998, Freedom launches its website, www.freedomair.com

- March 29, 1999, Freedom stops paying travel agents commission on bookings, passing on savings to passengers. Return airfares between Hamilton/Palmerston North and Sydney drop $50 to $399.

- Freedom offers extra savings for passengers who book through the airline’s internet site.

- First Freedom Melbourne flight launched ex Palmerston North, December 19 1999.

- Freedom launches inaugural flight to Fiji on March 29 2000, and first Dunedin-Melbourne flight on November 1, 2000.

- May 1, 2001. Freedom launches domestic air service with value flights between Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.

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