Tasmania’s first international flight in 23 years is set to take off today – and it’s good news for skiers this winter
- Air New Zealand flight NZ197 will leave Auckland at 9am NZST on Thursday
- It will land at 11am AEST at Hobart’s International Airport on the same day
- Tasmania has not received an international flight in the past 23 yearsÂ
Tasmania‘s first international flight in 23 years is set to take off from Auckland in what has been hailed as a ‘special’ day for the state.
Air New Zealand flight NZ197 leaves Auckland at 9am NZST on Thursday, landing at 11am AEST at Hobart International airport.
Speaking from Auckland, Tourism Tasmania chief executive John Fitzgerald said it was a thrilling and historic day.
‘There hasn’t been an international flight to Hobart for 20 years from New Zealand. So it’s special,’ he said.
Speaking from Auckland, Tourism Tasmania chief executive John Fitzgerald said it was a thrilling and historic day (Passengers boarding an Air New Zealand flight)
The flights have been underwritten by the federal government, which last year announced a $50million investment in returning international flights to Hobart.
Much of that has gone into upgrading Hobart International Airport.
Air New Zealand successfully bid for the rights to operate the route, and has committed to a twice-weekly service from Auckland for the next two years.
The airline’s chief executive Greg Foran said he was keeping an open mind about adding a Tuesday service.
‘Potentially as we get into the winter season, the ski season, we may end up adding a third one on,’ he said.
‘We think it’s going to end up paying its way reasonably well and we’re excited that it’s going to get underway.’
Air New Zealand successfully bid for the rights to operate the route, and has committed to a twice-weekly service from Auckland for the next two years
The last regularly scheduled international flights out of Hobart, a Hobart-Christchurch route, ceased in 1998.
Since then the state has seen intermittent overseas charter flights and services to Antarctica.
Thursday’s flight will also bring a suite of Air New Zealand executives, trade partners and Kiwi journalists eager to explore the Apple Isle.
The flights have been made possible by the trans-Tasman bubble, which began on Monday when New Zealand removed the need for Australian travellers to complete a fortnight’s quarantine on arrival.