Air New Zealand is celebrating its fifth anniversary of launching the Invercargill-Auckland route with a delicacy ‘Southland Sushi’. The airline commenced the route five years back on August 25, 2019. Despite brief pauses in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the service triumphantly returned in December 2021 and currently operates five direct return services weekly.
Over the last five years, the airline has operated over 1600 flights between Auckland and Invercargill, carrying over 236,000 passengers.
“The route is not only a staple for Southlanders but also serves as a gateway for visitors from the north to explore the wider Southland region and popular tourism areas such as Fiordland, Stewart Island, and the Catlins,” Scott Carr, general manager of domestic, Air New Zealand. “The service is also a vital cargo link with over 500 tonnes of high-value exports, including fish, pāua, and lobster, winging their way to Auckland and beyond.”
“The Auckland jet service has been transformational in connecting Murihiku Southland to the world,” said Chami Abeysinghe, Great South Regional Economic Development Agency Chief Executive. “As our region progresses economic growth opportunities, our ability to get our high-value pastoral, seafood, and manufactured goods to our export markets on time remains critical.
Covering a distance of 1183 km and with a flight time of two hours and five minutes, the Auckland to Invercargill route is New Zealand’s longest domestic jet service.
