Auckland, March 26 (IANS): If you are a Kiwi and a crazy cricket fan, planning a trip to the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on March 29 for the World Cup final, here’s some good news for you.
Air New Zealand has added a charter flight between Auckland and Melbourne to get another 300 fans to the final, reports stuff.co.nz.
New Zealand knocked out South Africa in the semi-final on Tuesday to book a place in the final for the first time in history. They will meet either Australia or India in the summit clash.
The Boeing 777-200ER service leaves Auckland at 8.30 am on Sunday and flies out of Melbourne at 2am on Monday.
Return seats are priced at $991. The price of Air New Zealand seat-only return flights between Auckland and Melbourne in April ranges from $466 to $1,075.
When Civil Aviation Authority spokesman Mike Richard was asked whether the flight will be rowdy and whether there was anything fans might need to bear in mind regarding alcohol consumption, he said: “There are regulations concerning unruly passenger behaviour and that is something that is controlled by the pilot in command if it happens in flight.”
He further added, “It is a tricky one because you have got people who are obviously jolly and want to have a good time, but there is a responsibility to behave."
Passengers were required under civil aviation rules to obey the instructions of crew, he said.
"If they said 'that's it stop', then people obviously have to, Richard said.
The service is in addition to extra Air New Zealand flights that have already sold out. The airline on Wednesday showed no availability on flights from Auckland to Melbourne until Monday.
But on Thursday morning it was also offering a Saturday-Monday return between Auckland and Melbourne through alliance partner Virgin Australia, for $1600. Jetstar also has flights available on the route those days, priced at $1,546.
Qantas has added three extra return flights between Auckland and Melbourne and another between Auckland and Sydney.
The Boeing 737-800 services will leave on Saturday and return on Monday, with some seats still available priced from $1,570.