Dunedin may be on the radar for a new jet service and cheaper regional airfares, with Pacific Blue about to test a $57 million jet at the airport tomorrow.
Billed as a "super aircraft", the new 104-seat Embraer 190 E-Jet is scheduled to land at Dunedin International Airport at 11am, as part of a nationwide tour aimed at gauging domestic and possible transtasman opportunities.
As part of the tour, airline officials would meet tourism and business representatives to discuss the aircraft and its potential in providing competition to Air New Zealand.
Pacific Blue commercial general manager Adrian Hamilton-Manns said the E-Jets were suited to international regional routes or New Zealand domestic routes.
"We are enthusiastic about its operational suitability, but as always, new routes and services must in the long-run be commercially feasible and sustainable, so we are also doing our homework in that regard."
Pacific Blue operates 180-seat Boeing 737-800 jets on the main trunk domestic routes, but no decision on routes the new jet would fly have been made by the airline.
Dunedin International Airport chief executive John McCall said if the smaller jet was used for Dunedin it could lead to more services and cheaper flights, by providing competition for Air New Zealand.
"I think it is very promising."
Pacific Blue flies once a day to Christchurch from Dunedin, with its competitor dropping prices during these times.
Chamber of Commerce chief executive John Christie said "anything that promotes competition is good for the consumer".
Embraer 190 E-Jet
- Twin-engined medium-range jet airliner.
- Made in Brazil.
- 104 seats with two-two seating configurations.
- The jet visited Wellington and Auckland yesterday and will visit Hamilton and Palmerston North today before visiting Dunedin and Invercargill tomorrow.
- The jet can be seen from the Dunedin International Airport terminal.
