Dunedin travellers wanting to fly the Tasman next summer will have more options available.
Air New Zealand announced yesterday summer flights between Dunedin and Sydney or Melbourne would be extended by two months.
The season finished this year at the end of January, but next year one flight a week to each destination would continue through to the end of March, Air New Zealand Tasman Pacific manager Glen Sowry said after the meeting.
"The additional services ... are a result of the good demand we have seen over the current summer season.
"This, combined with our new fare and product offering we will have for our Tasman services from late November, gives us the confidence to increase the number of flights," Mr Sowry said in a statement.
About 5.8 million passengers fly between Australia and New Zealand annually on eight different airlines.
Last week, Air New Zealand announced it was cutting transtasman fares, streamlining check-in procedures and removing business class seats from most flights in order to retain its annual market share of 2.1 million passengers.
Air New Zealand also flies from Dunedin to Brisbane.
Mr Sowry said the number of services to Brisbane this winter would remain static but would be re-evaluated before next winter.
Mr Sowry relayed the company's decision yesterday during a meeting with Dunedin International Airport chief executive John McCall and Tourism Dunedin chief executive Hamish Saxton.
Mr McCall said he and Mr Saxton were encouraged by the move.
"We're very pleased.
"We always had belief in the Sydney and Melbourne markets and it is pleasing to see the season extended."
