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Air New Zealand will restart flying to Taupo and Timaru from 8 June, as it slowly expands its network now the country has lowered its coronavirus restrictions.
Initially the airline will operate three return services a week between Taupo and Auckland on Monday, Wednesday and Friday as well as three return services per week between Timaru and Wellington on the same days.
The new routes are in addition to the 32 previously announced during Alert Level 2, with the potential to add more depending on demand. The full list is below.
The move comes after New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced earlier this week that, from Thursday, Kiwis could travel around the country and meet friends and family for the first time in weeks. It marks an extraordinarily quick turnaround in the country’s battle against COVID-19, with Australia not set to follow until July.
Air New Zealand general manager networks Scott Carr said, “Bringing Taupo and Timaru back into our domestic schedule means we’ll soon operate to all 20 of the domestic destinations we serviced pre COVID-19, albeit with reduced frequencies.”
https://twitter.com/FlyAirNZ/status/1261068777896079360
However, the airline has warned passengers that the flying experience will be significantly different to before the pandemic began.
To encourage social distancing, every second self-service kiosk will be closed, floor markings will be in operation in queues and aircraft will fly at about 20 per cent capacity with the middle seat kept free.
Air New Zealand’s in-flight magazine, Kia Ora, won’t be available, while food and beverage and lounge access will remain suspended until 25 May.
The business’ general manager of customer experience, Nikki Goodman, said, “It would be appreciated if customers could exercise a bit of patience as everyone gets used to this new way of travelling.
ALERT LEVEL TWO ANZ PROPOSED NETWORK
Auckland to/from
- Taupo
- Blenheim
- Dunedin
- Rotorua
- Christchurch
- Gisborne
- Kerikeri
- Napier
- Nelson
- New Plymouth
- Palmerston North
- Tauranga
- Wellington
- Whangarei
- Queenstown
Christchurch to/from
- Hamilton
- Hokitika
- Tauranga
- Dunedin
- Invercargill
- Nelson
- Palmerston North
- Wellington
- Queenstown
Wellington to/from
