Quantcast

Solomon Airlines joins Trans-Tasman route amid increasing competition

Routes & Networks Latest: Rolling Daily Updates (W/C Sept. 22, 2025)
First new Qantas Airbus jets come with one toilet for every 90 economy passengers – worse than Jetstar, Scoot and Ryanair
Breeze Airways becomes the first new US flag carrier in a decade — just as rival Spirit fights its 2nd bankruptcy
Airport runway close calls spur hopes for wider adoption of cockpit alert technology
Family sues American Airlines over deadly crash near National Airport
United Airlines briefly grounds all flights in US, Canada for second time in 2 months
2025 Air Canada flight attendants strike
Spirit Airlines preparing to furlough one-third of its flight attendants
‘Hypocrisy’ and ‘blackmail’: Ryanair’s feud with Spain
Exclusive: Turkey's surprise Air Europa deal came down to one key thing: control
Major airline launches exciting new route from Scotland to popular US location
Airlines fear carbon tax as flagship climate scheme develops holes
Ryanair scraps three Vienna routes, demands lower taxes and fees
Turkish Airlines has no intention of raising stake in Spain's Air Europa, chairman says
US lawmakers want Trump to reinstate delay compensation plan for air travelers
IATA pushes to raise international pilot retirement age to 67
US orders Delta and Aeromexico to dissolve their partnership over fairness concerns in Mexico
Southwest’s New Wheelchair Policy Will Require Passengers to Remove 1 Item Before Boarding — What to Know
Aviation expansion: IndiGo to start direct Mumbai-Copenhagen flights from Oct 8; marks entry into Nordics - The Times of India
Major change for ALL Aer Lingus passengers flying from busy airport to offer 'modern and streamlined' experience
Southwest Airlines adds Sonoma County in California expansion - The Points Guy
Routes & Networks Latest: Rolling Daily Updates (W/C Sept. 8, 2025)
Delta Sees Record Premium Seats in '26, Main Cabin Flat or Down
Southwest requiring removal of batteries from mobility devices before boarding
Qantas’ milestone move for huge, new planes
EasyJet to launch 11 new flight routes from small UK airport named the best in Europe
Tycoon unveils £25 billion rival Heathrow expansion plan
Boeing and Airbus ground green plane projects
50 New Routes Launching In September 2025
JetBlue's Network Shake-Up: Its Top 10 Routes This Month
Solomon Airlines joins Trans-Tasman route amid increasing competition
Policy
Webp solomon
Solomon Airlines | Wikipedia

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.

Get the Newsletter
Sign-up to receive weekly round up of news from Sky Industry News
By submitting, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. By providing your phone number you are opting in and consenting to receive recurring SMS/MMS messages, including automated texts, to that number from our short code. Msg & data rates may apply. Reply HELP for help, STOP to end. SMS opt-in will not be sold, rented, or shared.

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.

Organizations Included in this History
More News

Dnata, a global provider of air and travel services, has entered into a joint venture with Azerbaijan’s Silk Way Group to launch ground handling and cargo operations at Alat International Airport, located in the Alat Free Economic Zone in Baku.

Oct 22, 2025

The Fair Work Commission has ruled that a former employee of dnata Airport Services was unfairly dismissed and awarded $36,468.39 in compensation.

Oct 22, 2025

The Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) has announced the closure of Terminal 5 to allow for a significant redevelopment.

Oct 22, 2025

The SFO Facility recently hosted a Breast Cancer Awareness Day, which was deemed a success by organizers.

Oct 22, 2025

Flying Food Group, Inc. recently held an appreciation event at its SFW facility to honor its employees.

Oct 22, 2025

Flying Food Group has announced that it contributes all of its taxable income annually to the Chicago-based Sue L. Gin Foundation Trust, which supports healthcare, education, legal aid, and immigration rights.

Oct 21, 2025