Air New Zealand Mount Cook service takes off

Media release
21 December 2012

Air New Zealand Mount Cook service takes off

Air New Zealand’s trial Christchurch/Mt Cook/Queenstown summer service will take off this Sunday, 23 December, becoming the 28th destination on the airline’s domestic network.

Air New Zealand Group General Manager Australasia Bruce Parton says the service is designed to meet high-season demand and provide tourists with a convenient way to visit several of the South Island’s key tourism regions.

“The service will make it quick and easy for groups to take a day trip to the region or overnight at Mt Cook. The connection through to Queenstown will also enable travellers on a tight schedule to visit multiple South Island destinations,” he says.

The trial service operates for six weeks between 23 December 2012 and 27 January 2013.

The 40-minute service between Christchurch and Mt Cook will operate three times a week, timed to connect with the arrival into Christchurch of the direct service from Tokyo and other morning services into Christchurch from domestic airports such as Auckland, Rotorua and Wellington.

The first flight is scheduled to depart Christchurch at 11.45am and arrive into Mt Cook at 12.25pm before continuing on to Queenstown at 1.30pm. On the return journey, the flight departs Queenstown at 3.10pm to arrive in Mt Cook at 3.50pm before continuing at 4.30pm to arrive back in Christchurch at 5.10pm.

The service will be operated by Air New Zealand subsidiary airline Mt Cook Airline utilising a 68-seat ATR aircraft.

“While we will no doubt assess the success of this service as a seasonal route there are no plans at this stage to extend to a year round Mt Cook service,” says Parton.

The airline last operated services between Christchurch and Mt Cook a decade ago, with the last service in February 2002.

Visit Air New Zealand’s website www.airnewzealand.co.nz to view the schedule and pricing for the new service as well as other Air New Zealand deals and destinations.

Schedule:

Christchurch-Mt Cook 1145/1225
Mt Cook-Queenstown 1330/1410
Queenstown-Mt Cook 1510/1550
Mt Cook-Christchurch 1630/1710

Ends

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