Air New Zealand brings back direct flights to Hobart

Starting from October 27, a direct service will be offered from Auckland to Hobart via Air New Zealand. Photo / 123rf

The land known for its unique natural landscapes and wombat walker jobs is about to become easier to travel to from New Zealand.

Air New Zealand will revive its direct service between Auckland and Hobart - Tasmania’s only international flight service - from October 27.

The four-hour flight service will be offered three times a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays on the A320neo and A321neo aircraft. More than 600 seats will be available every week.

After temporarily halting services in April, Air NZ General Manager International Jeremy O’Brien said that the airline is looking forward to reconnecting Kiwi and Tasmanian passengers over the summer months.

“It’s great to be starting our seasonal services again, connecting Kiwi to the charming city of Hobart and Aussies to our biggest city, with domestic connections to 19 other destinations around Aotearoa,” O’Brien said.

“Hobart is our ninth Australian destination and it’s great to once again be offering our customers the option to travel there for another season over the warmer months.”

In November, the airline announced in a statement the temporary suspension of the service as a result of ongoing engine issues.

“The change comes as the airline adjusts its schedule to accommodate grounded aircraft undergoing mandatory Pratt & Whitney engine maintenance following the global engine issues it recently announced,” the statement said.

“There is no safety concern for aircraft and early engine maintenance is being conducted as a precautionary measure.”

The direct service was first launched by the airline in 2021 when the transtasman bubble opened up during the Covid pandemic. It was also New Zealand’s first direct flight to Hobart in over two decades.

Tourism Tasmania’s former chief executive John Fitzgerald noted at the time that, like New Zealand as an island nation, Tasmania is an island state and “islanders are more resilient and inventive ... we do things well”.

In a bid to boost tourism during a low season, the island state put the call out for wombat walkers, and several other unpaid “odd jobs” in June.

Varsha Anjali is a multimedia journalist at the Herald. Based in Auckland, she covers travel, culture and more.