Air New Zealand has released its domestic schedule for July and August, with plans to operate around 55 percent of its usual domestic capacity (compared to pre-COVID-19 levels).

Since the start of Alert Level 2 the airline has been flying to the majority of the domestic ports it serviced pre-COVID-19, albeit with reduced frequencies. Its Timaru-Wellington and Taupo-Auckland routes resume this coming Monday.

Air New Zealand General Manager Networks, Scott Carr, said the airline continues to further build its domestic schedule.

“We’ve been encouraged by demand from leisure travellers recently and we’re also expecting demand for business travel to continue to build,” he said. “As a result, we have been working to add more flying to our domestic schedule from next month and this includes additional services for the July school holidays.

“From next month, we’ll resume our Invercargill-Auckland A320 jet service which will operate four return services a week and we’ll also resume operating our Invercargill-Wellington, Christchurch-Rotorua and Christchurch-New Plymouth routes.

“These routes will add further direct connections for customers travelling between the North and South Islands.”