Tauck Expands Exclusive

Charter Flights Down Under

NORWALK, CT (5/15/07) Guests traveling on three different Tauck World Discovery itineraries in Australia and New Zealand this year will enjoy up to five hassle-free chartered flights within the two countries. The upscale tour operator has announced it is expanding a program of exclusive chartered flights it offers in New Zealand, to also include Australia. The private Australia flights were tested on selected departures in 2006, and rolled out officially earlier this year. The flights are aboard three luxury Convair CV580 aircraft and traverse up to 4,000 miles, allowing Tauck’s guests to more easily experience the incredible variety of sites within Australia and New Zealand.

Tauck President Robin Tauck highlighted the benefits of the chartered flights. “Australia and New Zealand are amazingly diverse destinations that cover a huge geographic area, and our guests want to experience it all – from Australia’s Outback and Great Barrier Reef to the National Parks in New Zealand, plus the wonderful cosmopolitan cities and smaller towns in both countries,” said Tauck. “By using private chartered aircraft, we can offer an unmatched itinerary and save valuable time and energy, so our guests can enjoy the flights as a chance to rest, relax and be totally pampered by our flight crews.”

Up to five chartered flights are featured on Tauck’s 20-day “Grand Australia & New Zealand” itinerary (shoulder season departures have fewer chartered flights). Tauck’s 21-day “Cruising Down Under” cruise and land package has four chartered flights, and its 14-day “Best of Australia & New Zealand” trip has two.

TIME SAVINGS EQUIVALENT TO A FULL DAY OF SIGHTSEEING
Robin Tauck estimated the time saved by the five private flights on the company’s “Grand Australia & New Zealand” trip to be the equivalent of a full day of sightseeing. “With our chartered flights we avoid ticketing and baggage check lines, and we board immediately on arrival, so we’re usually ‘wheels-up’ within 30 minutes of pulling into the airport,” she said. “When we land, we get right off the plane and directly onto the motorcoach. The bags get transferred by the crew, and we’re on our way. We save a minimum of an hour on either end of each flight.”

Equally important, explained Tauck, is the indulgent in-flight experience aboard the charters. “Our three planes are all fully-appointed luxury airliners with every business class-level amenity. Our guests enjoy comfortable, oversized leather seats with extra leg room, and the planes are even equipped with larger windows to enhance in-flight sightseeing.” Each flight also features deluxe, privately catered food service, complimentary local wines, beer and soft drinks, and in-flight entertainment.

The flights are also exclusive, open only to the guests traveling on Tauck itineraries. “It’s a great opportunity for our guests to get to know each other,” said Tauck. “It turns out that kicking off your shoes, sipping a glass of wine, and chatting about shared experiences with your fellow travelers is a great way to bond!”

Each of the planes is 81 feet long with a 108 foot wingspan, and is powered by twin Allison A501-D13 turboprop engines that generate 8,000 horsepower to allow cruising at 22,000 feet with a top speed of over 400 miles-per-hour. Two of the three Convair CV580s are specially painted and branded with Tauck’s logo, from oversized logos on the tail and fuselage to logos on the headrests and flight attendant aprons.

The price of the chartered flights is built into the cost of each Tauck itinerary. The company ’s 20-day “Grand Australia & New Zealand” itinerary starts at $8,380 per person. Tauck’s 21-day “Cruising Down Under” cruise and land package is priced from $8,040 per person, and its 14-day “Best of Australia & New Zealand” trip starts at $5,580. International airfare from the U.S. to Australia is not included.

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