Domestic Travel Ready for Shake Up

Domestic Travel Ready for Shake Up

House of Travel is nothing but supportive of Pacific Blue's domestic expansion plans, following the media announcement in Wellington this morning.

Brent Thomas, retail director for the House of Travel referred to the proposed plans as both timely and a welcome relief.

"New Zealanders are avid travellers and to have choice is the ultimate for any consumer. It would have been great to see them fly into the regions but hopefully that is stage two for Pacific Blue."

Thomas remarked that while the plans were aggressive and showed that Pacific Blue is serious about its place as a domestic carrier, that sustainability was crucial for Pacific Blue's credibility.

"They mean business, which is fantastic however there is nothing worse for customers than to have the additional flight options but six to 12 months later they disappear. It must be sustainable long-term, which means the demand has to be there and financially it has to stack up. Given Pacific Blue and Virgin's track record to date and knowing how New Zealanders will react to this, we are confident of their future as a domestic carrier. It's an incredibly exciting time for the industry as well as the public."

While considered a budget or "no frills" carrier, Thomas said this would not be seen as a negative in any way by consumers.

"In this day and age we are well used to travelling without meals domestically. What consumers and business travellers want is choice as it leads to better scheduling options and constant competitive pricing, which is the key."

Asked whether there was enough demand for three domestic carriers in New Zealand, Thomas said it was important to remember the inbound market as well as Kiwis travelling.

"There are over two million visitors to New Zealand each year that will tap in and benefit from the additional capacity plus it will help to stimulate more Kiwis travelling around the country to attend the likes of concerts, sporting events, visiting friends and family, plus of course the corporate market."

ENDS

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