Hobart will have a new nonstop link to Queensland from December when Tigerair Australia begins flights to the Gold Coast.
The four times weekly Hobart-Gold Coast offering takes off from December 7 2017, Tigerair said on Monday.
The Virgin Australia-owned low-cost carrier (LCC) will be the only airline flying nonstop between Hobart and the Gold Coast.
The Tigerair service will run on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays and operate as a morning departure from Hobart, arriving on the Gold Coast at 1020. The return flight departs Gold Coast at 1050, arriving in the Tasmanian capital in mid-afternoon.
Currently, Qantas’s LCC unit Jetstar, as well as Virgin Australia, offer nonstop flights from Hobart to nearby Brisbane.
Meanwhile, Tigerair said it would add up to four additional weekly Melbourne-Hobart flights to its schedule from December. The airline currently operates up to eight flights a week on the route, according to its website.
Tigerair acting chief executive Peter Wilson launched the new flights at Hobart Airport on Monday alongside Tasmanian Premier Will Hodgman and Hobart Airport interim chief executive Matt Cocker.
“Our great value fares grow and stimulate air travel in this country. These new flights launching in December provide a welcome boost for tourism in both cities, covering the upcoming peak summer holiday travel period and the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast in April,” Wilson said in a statement.
“This is great news for Tasmanian tourism, for the local economy and most of all, for consumers.”
Gold Coast Airport chief executive Chris Mills said he expected the route to be “embraced by the leisure market” given the popularity of Tasmania and Gold Coast as tourist destinations.
Simon
says:Wish they would bring back the Melbourne Darwin flights.
Anne Kleczar
says:That is great news for me as I live on the Gold Coast and visit family in Hobart sometimes twice a year .
Matthew
says:I wish they would come to Launceston again.
Mark white
says:A good move by Tiger connecting these two cities.
Another good move would be a direct service linking Gold Coast to Townsville.
Robert Moore
says:And an Adelaide to Hobart permanent direct flight would be good too.
@Sunshinecoastaviation
says:still waiting for sunshine coast flights
Harrison
says:i wish for Tigerair to go back to the Sunshine Coast and be an INT airline
Nick
says:Tiger should fly into Kalgoorlie from Melbourne and take the flight from Virgin
deano
says:Sunshine Coast is THE perfect market for Tiger
Will
says:@Robert Moore
We will soon with Jetstar
MarcGC
says:@Mark
GC-Townsville was formerly served by VA.
GC-Rocky-Townsville currently served by JETGO.
twodogs
says:Unbelievable. They can’t even crew their current network, and they’re opening up new routes…? You’ve got to crawl before you can walk.
And why doesn’t the cabin crew member get a mention?