The South Island airport said the upcoming Perth service would ensure Christchurch remained a strong, competitive gateway for the South Island.<\/p>\n
\u201cAustralia is now fully recovered to pre-Covid travel levels and remains the airport\u2019s largest and most resilient international market, highlighting the importance of continuing to expand choice and capacity.\u201d<\/p>\n
Flights will use Jetstar\u2019s Perth-based fleet of Airbus A321LR (long-range) aircraft.<\/p>\n
Those in Jetstar\u2019s fleet started getting delivered in 2022.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese quieter aircraft have lifted the bar for low-fares comfort with larger overhead storage compartments, seat back device holders, and in-seat charging,\u201d Jetstar said.<\/p>\n
Flights from Christchurch will leave at 8.15pm local time and arrive when it\u2019s 10.30pm in Western Australia.<\/p>\n
Return flights will leave Perth when it\u2019s 7.45am there and arrive at 6.55pm New Zealand time.<\/p>\n
Flights from Perth are faster due to the prevailing westerly winds.<\/p>\n
All seats on the service will be in economy class.<\/p>\n
Perth\u2019s time zone in summer is five hours behind New Zealand\u2019s.<\/p>\n
The city has a significant Kiwi community, with a 2021 Census showing an estimated 60,000 Perth residents were born in New Zealand.<\/p>\n
Jetstar chief executive Stephanie Tully said the airline had detected strong demand for low\u2011fares travel on both sides of the Tasman.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd we\u2019re excited to offer customers even more choice as we continue to expand our transtasman network,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n
The latest foray into New Zealand from Jetstar may place even more pressure on Air New Zealand<\/a>.<\/p>\n Jetstar in September launched its biggest-ever transtasman route expansion, announcing a Brisbane-Queenstown seasonal service and more Auckland-Brisbane flights.<\/p>\n Air NZ last week reported an after-tax loss of $40 million<\/a> for the half-year ending December 31 but the Qantas group posted a roughly $1 billion profit.<\/p>\n Air New Zealand flies from Christchurch to Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney year-round, and seasonally to the Gold Coast and Adelaide, but not directly to Perth.<\/p>\n Qantas in December launched direct Auckland-Perth services<\/a> after landing Australian Government funding, competing with an existing Air New Zealand route.<\/p>\n Jetstar is launching a 24-hour sale at noon today with one-way fares from Christchurch to Perth starting from $299.<\/p>\n