Hamilton's first domestic jet service in 25 years will connect thousands of people to Christchurch every year. 

Air New Zealand's Airbus A320 service will operate alongside two smaller planes, to be deployed to other parts of the regional network. 

From today the 171-seat domestic jet will leave Christchurch at 3pm five days a week and return from Hamilton just after 5pm. 

Waikato Chamber of Commerce CEO Don Good told Mike Hosking Air NZ wouldn’t have put a plane on that route if there wasn’t demand. 

He says they’ve seen the opportunity and believe that it will grow. 

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