Qantas today announced it would operate an additional nine return services per week between Australia and New Zealand from 1 July, boosting the total number of Qantas services between the two countries to more than 100 return flights per week.

Qantas Executive General Manager Sales and Marketing John Borghetti said the move followed consultative meetings between the airline and the Christchurch and South Island business communities.

“The new services will be operated by two-class Boeing 767s and benefit communities on both sides of the Tasman by providing additional travel options and freight opportunities between Sydney and Melbourne and Auckland and Christchurch,” Mr Borghetti said.

“Qantas has responded to the demand of the market and will provide flights that are timed for convenient connection with other Qantas services,” he said.

The new schedule includes:

* Three additional return services per week between Sydney and Christchurch with a service on each Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday;

* Three additional return services per week between Melbourne and Christchurch, with flights leaving Melbourne each Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, and returning from Christchurch each Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday;

* Two additional return services per week from Melbourne to Auckland, with one leaving Melbourne each Monday and returning from Auckland each Tuesday and the other leaving Melbourne each Wednesday and returning from Auckland each Friday.

* One additional service per week from Sydney to Auckland each Friday, with the return leg operating from Auckland to Sydney each Wednesday;

Mr Borghetti said the more than 100 return services each week included non-stop services between the gateway Australian cities of Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne, with Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. Qantas also operates services between Queenstown and Brisbane and Sydney during the ski season.

Qantas also connects Auckland with daily non-stop flights to Los Angeles. From 1 July Qantas will codeshare on three services each week between Sydney and Santiago via Auckland with oneworld? partner, LanChile. Qantas also codeshares on services operated by other airlines to Nadi, Apia and Papeete from New Zealand.

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