Transtasman Bubble: Air New Zealand plans Auckland to Hobart

Air New Zealand will operate two direct services a week between Auckland and Hobart when a two-way transtasman bubble starts.

The airline last flew there 23 years ago and said today the city would be its 10th Australian destination.

Air New Zealand CEO Greg Foran said the route will be a much-needed economic boost for New Zealand’s tourism industry.

“Our Hobart – Auckland route will open a direct link between 540,000 potential tourists from Tasmania and our largest city, with regional hot spots like Queenstown and Rotorua within easy reach.”

The flights would be operated by Airbus A320neo aircraft and on Thursday and Sunday to take full advantage of domestic connectivity and provide the best long-weekend options for travelers, he said.

Foran said that while New Zealand will be a key destination for Tasmanians, the route will also open up opportunities for Kiwis.

“As Australia’s second oldest city, Hobart is rich in heritage and its world-famous Museum of Old and New Art mixes antiques with contemporary art.”

The state would be popular with Kiwis who want to enjoy world-class art and culture, the food and wine scene, spectacular scenery, and an abundance of wildlife.

“Similarly, we know that Tasmanians love to visit New Zealand and this direct service to Auckland will make it much easier to get outside and access our winter playgrounds.”

Air New Zealand’s director of sales and customers, Leanne Geraghty, said that all regulatory approvals were in effect for flights lasting about four hours.

The airline, which operates only 11 percent of its pre-Covid transtasman services, had been constantly checking its network.

“The environment we find ourselves in now is totally different and that market was the largest where we did not operate a direct flight between Australia and New Zealand,” he said.

“We think it is a great opportunity to open up to those people.”

He said he hoped the service would be well balanced between Tasmanians coming to New Zealand and vice versa. In 2019, some 60,000 kiwis visited Tasmania.

“We will trade on both sides of the Tasman.”

Geraghty said there would be financial support from the Tasmanian government, but the figure was commercially sensitive.

“We are ready, but it is contingent: tickets will go on sale once the bubble announcement is made.”

The rates would depend on the demand, but there would be a “great variety of rates”.

An announcement about a two-way bubble could come Monday after several Australian states have allowed entry without quarantine for much of the past six months (aside from a few community outbreaks here).

On Thursday, under mounting pressure to set a start date for the bubble, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said that would happen “soon” but that the government wanted a fix that would stick.

Tasmanian Prime Minister Peter Gutwein says today’s announcement of new direct flights to Hobart from New Zealand is a significant opportunity for both destinations.

“I am very pleased that this service will allow us to welcome more New Zealanders to our state and encourage them to consider booking their next Tassie vacation and see what we have to offer.”

Air New Zealand withdrew its last service from Hobart to New Zealand in 1998 because it was not commercially viable. The airline flew between Christchurch and Hobart.