Airfare Bonanza: Jetstar Returns, 160,000 Air New Zealand Fares Under $ 50 With Removal Of Physical Distancing

Jetstar will resume domestic flights in New Zealand as of September 17, with the removal of physical distance requirements on flights starting today.

After a four-week hiatus, the airline will resume up to 75 flights on six domestic routes, which is roughly 60 percent of its pre-Covid-19 schedule.

Masks will be mandatory in all services and disinfectant wipes will be available at the door and on board.

Jetstar Group CEO Gareth Evans thanked customers for their patience.

“We are excited that our planes and our people are back in the sky, just in time for school holidays, so we can help reconnect family and friends across the country.”

Meanwhile, Air New Zealand will lower 160,000 fares below $ 50 after removing physical distance requirements on airplanes.

On all of its 20 routes, the airline will offer 180,000 of its cheapest fares following today’s announcement.

The airline is also eliminating exchange fees for domestic flights booked for travel through March 31, 2021.

Air New Zealand CEO Greg Foran says that the removal of physical distancing allows the airline to have more seats available at cheaper prices.

“We are delighted to be able to offer 160,000 of these rates for less than $ 50, of which 9,000 will be available during the next school holidays. This is our way of thanking our customers for their support over the past few months,” he added. he said.

“ While our borders are closed, we know that Kiwis are eager to get out and explore or visit friends and family, so we want to make traveling as easy as possible, and this is also great news for local tourism. ‘ ‘.

The airline had been planning physical distancing until the end of this week, so this news allowed it to immediately make those seats available to those who want to travel in the coming days.

With physical distances, airlines could operate Airbus A320s at 65% capacity and turboprop aircraft at 50%.

Foran said it was important to note that eliminating physical distancing does not mean that flying is unsafe.

“Our team will continue to wear masks, and customers still need to cover their faces.”

Customers will be able to change their flight to a new date or time, or if they no longer wish to travel, they can put their fare on credit for a later trip. Any difference in fare will apply.

Customers who choose to put their fare on credit before the end of March 2021 will have until the end of December 2021 to book with their credit and another 12 months to fly after the reservation date.

The airline encourages anyone who no longer wishes to fly to put their fare on credit through its online booking tool. This is to ensure that those who wish to travel can do so. If a customer does not show up for their flight, normal fare rules will apply.

Air NZ said after announcing its first loss in 18 years that operating at that level produced a small cash gain from domestic operations, but that it was “not significant.”

The NZ Aviation coalition said it was great news for airlines.

” Eliminating physical distancing on planes opens the way for airlines to fill their planes. For travelers, this will mean more available seats, more flights and affordable fares to choose from, ” said Co-Chair Justin Tighe-Umbers.

“This is such an important move that it means that people will be able to spend in the regions, putting a lifeline on so many businesses that depend on visitors.”

He said the pragmatic decision by the Health Ministry recognizing that mandatory masks for everyone on board and existing airline measures will keep travelers safe.

“The removal of alert level 2 seating restrictions means that the national network can continue to operate without losing up to three-quarters of normal capacity, making it impossible for airlines to keep up.”

The New Zealand Airline Pilots Association (NZALPA) had been calling for the mandatory use of masks on all flights since May.

Association President Captain Andrew Ridling said: “We are pleased that the Health Ministry and Cabinet have listened to expert advice and eased physical distance restrictions on New Zealand airlines.”

Filtered air on board airplanes was safer than even the air in hospital operating rooms.

“This means that the risk of transmission of Covid-19 through cabin air is very low.”

The announcement also made New Zealand more consistent with the recommendations of the United Nations International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the International Air Travel Association (IATA) and the International Federation of Airline Pilots Associations (IFALPA). ).

“As we said more than five months ago, masks and antibacterial efforts are far more effective than eliminating access to middle seats in aircraft cabins. This reinstatement of the use of those seats now will help curb any dramatic increases in air travel costs, avoid empty seats and help cushion the hit of COVID-19 to industry, jobs and our economy, “Ridling said.