Jetstar is dropping its poorly performing Wellington to Dunedin route in favour of increasing flights between the capital and Queenstown. The airline has announced it will suspend its three weekly return flights between Wellington and Dunedin with the final service on Wednesday May 29. But it will increase flights between Wellington and Queenstown as it adjusts its New Zealand schedule to match market demand. Jetstar's chief customer officer Catriona Larritt said the airline regularly reviewed its schedule to ensure its frequency aligned with when customers wanted to fly, and Queenstown was a major drawcard for both domestic and international tourists. "Jetstar re-entered the Wellington-Queenstown route 12 months ago with three services a week and from late October this year we'll double that to six return weekly services," Ms Larritt said. The three additional Wellington-Queenstown services available for booking from Friday afternoon will include sale fares from $35 one way, and regular lead-in fares from $84. Larritt said Jetstar's Auckland-Dunedin schedule of eight return services a week was unchanged, but she said the Wellington-Dunedin flights had not performed to expecations. "We've been operating on the route for nearly three and half years and we've appreciated the support we've received from local travellers and airports, however the route has not performed as we'd hoped." Passengers with bookings beyond 29 May will be contacted within the coming days and offered alternative services via Auckland or a full refund.
One of the first effects of Air NZ's drop in its entry level fares? You can fly Wellington/Dunedin return on the same day with Air NZ but you could not do that with Jetstar (unless you landed only to take off again!).
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