Trans-Tasman ties boosted as two-way airline capacity added 

14 April 2024 - Airlines are boosting trans-Tasman capacity as travel between Australia and New Zealand soars and the two nations prepare for more seamless travel across the ditch.

New booking data from Flight Centre Travel Group’s flagship large-market business travel division, FCM Travel, reflects an 11 per cent increase in bookings from New Zealand to Australia for the first three months of 2024 when compared to the same time last year.

Similarly, there’s been a 15 per cent increase in FCM bookings from Australia into New Zealand, when comparing the same period.

The increase in bookings comes as airlines ramp up trans-Tasman flights.

Air New Zealand will bring on trans-Tasman capacity from 2 July with an additional 100,000 seats per year available. Qantas announced an additional 600 seats per week between Brisbane and Wellington from October. Jetstar will also see a return to pre-pandemic capacity in New Zealand by mid-year, adding nine additional trans-Tasman flights a week.

FCM New Zealand General Manager, Kelly Thomas said two-way travel demand is key for airlines when deciding whether to increase services in and out of New Zealand.

Both are needed to maximise an airlines’ revenue as it ensures a consistent flow of passengers - optimising seat occupancy and overall profitability.

Thomas said they’ve been seeing significant demand for trans-Tasman travel in recent months and expect that to continue as trade relationships grow and more capacity is added.

“New Zealand and Australia’s bilateral trade and economic relationship is one of the broadest and most diverse in the world – a busy airbridge across the Tasman is critical for businesses to thrive on both sides.”

The industries travelling most frequently between Australia and New Zealand in the last six months were construction (19%), followed by education (16%) government and not-for-profit (13%), finance and insurance (12%) and retail (11%).

In July 2023, the New Zealand and Australian governments announced a taskforce that would look at ways to make travel between the two countries more seamless, without compromising on biosecurity. An update on this is expected mid-year.

I’m looking forward to hearing what the taskforce has come up with and am hopeful both governments prioritise taking action, as it will smooth the way for trade and more cooperation on development, investment and innovation.

Any improvements on travel across the Tasman would be welcome for business travellers, who heavily rely on this route for business trade and relationships.