Confirmation of the Sounds Air flights between Wanaka and Christchurch could not have come at a better time, Waitaki MP Jacqui Dean says.

“I met with the Sounds Air chief executive Andrew Crawford several months ago where we discussed the potential for flights to and from Wanaka airport, and I’m very pleased to see that their proposal is becoming a reality," said Jacqui.

“Flights into Wanaka will bring tourists and visitors into town at a time when the hospitality and accommodation sectors sorely need their support, and the flights will support business travel and connectivity with the rest of New Zealand.

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“It was great to hear confirmation on Monday that the proposal had got the thumbs-up and that this plucky Blenheim-based regional airline would be able to launch a daily service between Christchurch and Wanaka starting on November 2.

“With the Queenstown Airport Corporation managing the Wanaka operation, everyone’s hoping for a smooth final sign-off between the parties involved, which include QAC owners Queenstown Lakes District Council and Auckland International Airport, along with Christchurch Airport.

“These plans have been a long time in the making for both the airline and the communities that will be served. Whether it’s Christchurch people who own property in Wanaka, or Wanaka residents who do business in Christchurch. They have long expressed a need for this service.

“I look forward to seeing tickets go on sale in September as proposed, and for the arrival of the first flights into Wanaka in November,” said Jacqui.