Solomon Airlines has entered the Trans-Tasman market, operating flights between Auckland and Brisbane. This makes it the fifth airline on this route, joining Air New Zealand, China Airlines, Jetstar, and Qantas. According to Cirium Diio data, this is the first time since 2020 that five carriers have operated on this city pair.
The airline operates a weekly service using its Airbus A320ceo aircraft. The flight does not offer in-flight entertainment or WiFi but provides food for passengers. Flightradar24 reports that Solomon Airlines used its only active A320, registered as H4-SIB and nearly 20 years old, for its first Trans-Tasman roundtrip service. A passenger from the inaugural flight noted that about 20% of seats were occupied.
The airline’s schedule allows for a day trip from New Zealand to Queensland, although it might be tiring for passengers upon their return. Additionally, travelers can fly from Auckland via Brisbane to Munda and Honiara.
During the week of March 1 to March 7, there are 47 weekly departures on the Auckland-Brisbane route. This figure contrasts with 55 departures during the same week in March 2019 before the pandemic. Solomon Airlines’ entry into this market contributes to its recovery and offers more choices for passengers.
The current operators include:
– Air New Zealand: 19 weekly flights using various aircraft types
– Qantas: Double daily flights with different aircraft
– Jetstar: Nine weekly flights with A321neo
– China Airlines: Four weekly flights using A350-900
– Solomon Airlines: Weekly service with A320ceo
Airlines such as Emirates, Freedom Air (now defunct), Garuda Indonesia, Malaysia Airlines, Royal Brunei, Thai Airways, and Virgin Australia have previously served this route but no longer do so.
In total, nine airlines will operate across 25 non-stop airport pairs between Australia and New Zealand this year. Local airlines—Air New Zealand, Qantas, Jetstar, and Virgin—account for most flights at 93%. The remaining services are operated by foreign carriers like China Airlines and Emirates.
Two foreign airlines withdrew their services in the past year: AirAsia X ended its Kuala Lumpur-Sydney-Auckland route in February 2024 while Batik Air Malaysia ceased operations on its Kuala Lumpur-Perth-Auckland route in July 2024.
