Editorial: Jetstar plans excite

Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce with Prime Minister John Key after announcing that Jetstar is going to start a low fares regional service starting in December this year. Photo / NZME.

The news low cost airline Jetstar is considering Rotorua as one of its new regional destinations is exciting - even if it is just 'considering'.

As soon as September, we could have a choice of two airlines when it comes to travelling in and out of Rotorua - with Jetstar flights to at least four regional centres starting from December.

Jetstar made its big announcement yesterday, with Prime Minister John Key in attendance, vowing to bring "low fares competition to monopoly domestic routes around the country".

Then, it rattled off a tantalising list of some of the cities it was considering.

The news Rotorua was a contender was welcomed by our online readers as well as city leaders, some of whom seemed to have been caught off guard by the announcement.

But they will now, we hope, be putting their heads together to make sure they present the best case to Jetstar over the coming months.

Rotorua is up against cities, including Hamilton, New Plymouth, Napier, Palmerston North, Nelson and Invercargill.

All will have pros and cons for the airline and presumably all are keen to become a chosen city.

The obvious thing working in Rotorua's favour must be its appeal as a tourist destination. But ordinary residents would also benefit, whether they use the airport once a year to visit Grandma down south or once a week for business meetings in Auckland.

In a year that's seen the end of direct Sydney flights, it would be a boost for Rotorua's airport and the city as a whole to see the bright orange planes parked alongside the familiar blue and white ones come December.

Fingers crossed.