Auckland Airport is envisaging around 67% of its airline capacity to be back on-stream by December 2022.

Scott Tasker, AKL’s general manager aeronautical, commercial told last week’s virtual TRENZ Hui that by then the airport should have 22 airlines offering direct services to 36 destinations with about 896,000 seats. That compares with 1.2 million seats in March 2019 and represents a steady rise from this month (May 2022), with 16 airlines operating to 28 destinations and offering 360,000 seats.

Tourism Minister Stuart Nash says the border reopening to Australia has already made a huge difference to the tourism sector. However he is also aware that it is not a remedy to the pain of the last 12 months and says he knew initial movements would be mainly VFR.

‘It is essential that our top priority is keeping New Zealanders safe – keeping borders secure while opening safely as we have to Australia and Rarotonga, but also rolling out vaccination and ensuring it isdone by the end of the year.

‘Please do all you can to support your staff to make the right decisions around vaccinations. It might involve talking to them about the facts of vaccination and helping them through any vaccination hesitancy.’