Air New Zealand is reinstating early morning Christchurch flights from Tauranga, due to public demand.

The airline will also be operating 10 new weekly Auckland services.

Air New Zealand is introducing more flights to Auckland.

The Monday-Saturday service from Tauranga to Christchurch is available for booking by the end of the week and will depart at 6.05am. An evening service will depart Christchurch for Tauranga at 7pm.

The new weekly services between Tauranga and Auckland to meet growing demand start from October 30.

'Tauranga is a significant regional growth market for the airline – in FY17 we will operate up to 80,000 additional seats to and from the city,” says the airlines networks general manager Richard Thomson.

'I'd like to personally thank those who took the time to provide feedback, I'm certainly pleased that we've been able to resolve some of the key concerns that were raised by our customers and stakeholders in Tauranga.”

The customer feedback followed a revised schedule offered earlier this year which while generally well received, raised some concerns from some customers and stakeholders in Tauranga about amended timing for the early morning service to Christchurch.

A delighted Tauranga airport manager Ray Dumble says the expected additional 80,000 passengers a year is a significant amount.

'It's brilliant, It's really, really good. They wouldn't be doing it if the demand wasn't there. They will grow it but I'm sure the demand is there.

'What it does do is an additional two flights a day, much higher frequency especially in the afternoon. And inbound the second one into Tauranga will be here by 9am.

'There's going to be two flights. We will get the second one into Tauranga by 9am. That will be very good for the international travellers that arrive here very early. They will be able to catch the 8am flight down rather having to wait till nine.”

The Air New Zealand announcement comes days after Tauranga city council endorsed an annual plan request to expand the Tauranga airport terminal passenger and baggage handling in a project expected to cost $4.5 million.