Bay on high over Jetstar

Jetstar's Bombardier Q300 aircraft, to be used on the new Napier-Auckland route.

"Fantastic", "great", "rapt", "game changer" were just a few of the reactions to Jetstar becoming Hawke's Bay's No1 low-fare airline.

The Australian company yesterday announced it would be flying the Napier-Auckland and Nelson-Auckland route from December. New Plymouth-Auckland, Palmerston North-Auckland and Nelson-Wellington flights will follow early next year, with services scheduled to begin from February 1.

Jetstar Australia and New Zealand chief executive David Hall made the announcement in Wellington, joined by Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce and Transport Minister Simon Bridges.

"We're delivering on our commitment to bring low fares and increased competition to communities around the country," Mr Hall said.

Local pundits could not be happier.

You can never get enough of a good thing. The more flights coming in and out the more chance we have of boosting our tourism profile.

Fenton Wilson, Hawke's Bay

Mayor Lawrence Yule said this was the "big prize" the Bay had been waiting for.

"We have been waiting for this for a long time and to have a significant international carrier associated with Qantas coming in to compete is a big thing to land," he said.

"It will mean that there is substantial downward pressure on airfares and the people of the Hawke's Bay will benefit from it, so it's outstanding."

Mr Yule crunched the numbers and said with the reduction in fares there is the potential for millions of dollars worth of savings.

"There are 480,000 passengers, or thereabouts at the moment and if it brings a reduction in fares of $50 a fare, and I am just putting that across the board as an assumption, that is pretty close to $24 million of annual savings to the region a year."

Napier Mayor Bill Dalton said the region had been trying to get competition in the region's skies for many years.

"There are great growth prospects in Hawke's Bay," he said.

"It is an incredibly timely announcement because as you are aware the main terminal in Napier is about to be completely rebuilt and so we can rebuild it in an appropriate manner for multiple airlines."

Regional council chairman Fenton Wilson said the announcement was a big win for Hawke's Bay Tourism.

"I know they have put a lot of effort into connecting with them (Jetstar), showing what is on offer, giving them the statistics they need," he said.

"To me it is a huge plug for the Hawke's Bay Tourism team as well as everyone else who has been involved.

"You can never get enough of a good thing. The more flights coming in and out the more chance we have of boosting our tourism profile.

"And it will be a heck of a lot easier to live in the Bay and work anywhere else now because of connectivity."

Long-time advocate for a second airline to the Bay, Hastings Councillor Simon Nixon, said he was excited.

"It really is a game changer for Hawke's Bay in my opinion," he said.

"And I was particularly pleased that they are bringing in three flights in a day because there was no previous indication of how many flights they were going to bring in.

"I said to Jetstar at the beginning that so long as their fares essentially broke the $100 they would have a huge effect.

"In fact it looks like they are going to be nearer to the $50 mark, which I think is just tremendous because I think one of the biggest disincentives has been the very high airfares."

Tukituki MP Craig Foss was also full of praise for the airline, saying he was "rapt" the airline will be servicing the region.

"Hawke's Bay families and businesses are already winners," he said.

"Lower airfares and more choice is important to all our industries, especially tourism.

"This is a real vote of confidence in our region."

Napier MP Stuart Nash echoed these sentiments saying the move was absolutely fantastic and that it was one more piece of the economic puzzle.

"With competition we will see lower airfares," he said.