iscover
Qantas has relaunched international flights from the Gold Coast, with the inaugural Auckland service taking off on Tuesday.
Flight QF209 left Coolangatta at around 2:15pm aboard the 737-800 VH-VZO. The Flying Kangaroo will operate three flights per week between the Gold Coast and Auckland, with both economy and business-class options.
This content is available exclusively to Australian Aviation members.
A monthly membership is only $5.99 or save with our annual plans.
- Australian Aviation quarterly print & digital magazines
- Access to In Focus reports every month on our website
- Unlimited access to all Australian Aviation digital content
- Access to the Australian Aviation app
- Australian Aviation quarterly print & digital magazines
- Access to In Focus reports every month on our website
- Access to our Behind the Lens photo galleries and other exclusive content
- Daily news updates via our email bulletin
- Unlimited access to all Australian Aviation digital content
- Access to the Australian Aviation app
- Australian Aviation quarterly print & digital magazines
- Access to In Focus reports every month on our website
- Access to our Behind the Lens photo galleries and other exclusive content
- Daily news updates via our email bulletin
“Today’s inaugural service marks an exciting new chapter for the Gold Coast, with Qantas adding 52,000 seats a year between the Gold Coast and Auckland,” said Qantas International CEO Cam Wallace.
“We’re proud to be the only airline offering a Business cabin on this route, giving travellers more choice and a premium experience across the Tasman.
“This is the first time in five years that international flights have been available from the Gold Coast, and we know there is strong demand from locals wanting to reconnect with New Zealand and explore more of our network.”
Queensland Airports Limited CEO Amelia Evans has welcomed the new route, saying it will “further strengthen connectivity across the Tasman and provide customers with a business class option”.
“Auckland is our busiest international route, with around 330,000 people travelling between the two cities in the past year alone and flights averaging around 90 per cent full – a clear reflection of the demand between our two regions,” she said.
The new route is supported by the Queensland Government through the Connecting Aviation Fund, as well as by Experience Gold Coast, with CEO John Warn calling it a “significant boost for the city and its largest international market”.
“The return of Qantas international flights between Auckland and the Gold Coast is fantastic for our city and tourism industry,” he said.
“New Zealand is our largest international market with 217,000 Kiwis choosing to visit our city last year, so expanding connectivity between our two destinations is vital to meet growing demand.
“With more than 7000 of those visitors travelling here for business, the introduction of a business class option on the new Qantas service will be a welcome addition.”
This is the first time Qantas international services have operated from the Gold Coast in almost five years, adding more than 52,000 seats annually across the Tasman. The route is also served by Air New Zealand and Jetstar.
Want to see more stories from trusted news sources?
Make Australian Aviation a preferred news source on Google.
Click here to add Australian Aviation as a preferred news source.
