Pacific Blue mum on flights to Invercargill
Pacific Blue New Zealand general manager for commercial air Adrian Hamilton-Manns said yesterday an announcement was expected this week but details were not yet finalised.
%26quot;We hope to be able to update everyone in the very near future,%26quot; Mr Hamilton-Manns said.
The Christchurch-based Australian budget airline added main trunk domestic services to its trans-Tasman operation in November, forcing rivals Air New Zealand and Qantas to drop their cheapest standard fares by $20.
It has this month taken delivery of a seventh 180-seat Boeing 737-800 and is expected to add another to its fleet towards the end of the year.
Invercargill airport chief executive Barry Bouton said the airport was waiting to hear whether Invercargill would benefit from the commissioning of the aircraft but was nevertheless prepared for it.
%26quot;The airport has done everything possible to remove any restriction that might disadvantage us in Pacific Blue making its decision.%26quot; Mr Bouton said there was enough passenger demand in Invercargill for another Pacific Blue.
The decision would set up a head-to-head clash with Air New Zealand, which announced in January it was considering the two southern centres for trial jet services using its smaller 136-seat Boeing 737-300s.
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