Whichever airline ends up replacing Air New Zealand on the Kaitaia-Auckland route, the town's air passengers are likely to end up with a better timetable. One of the gripes about the current twice-daily Air New Zealand service is that the morning flight leaves too late for business travellers to get a full business day in Auckland. As a result many drive the extra hour to Kerikeri to catch an early flight. However, Tauranga-based Sunair - one of four airlines now vying to fly the route - says it would base an aircraft and two crew at Kaitaia. That means its first flight could leave at 7am, guaranteeing a full day in Auckland, and return about 9.30am. A second return flight could leave about 4-5pm. Sunair owners Dan and Bev Power were in Kaitaia on Friday to meet airport operators Far North Holdings, Kaitaia business representatives, and the Chinese owners of a major tourism venture on Karikari Peninsula. Auckland-based company Inflite was also in town on Friday, making use of a charter flight to Kaitaia to show off its plane and give a few lucky locals a free flight to Auckland. Two more companies are understood to be interested in flying from Kaitaia but their identity is still under wraps. Mr Power said his company would use its nine-seater Piper Chieftain or, as long as the business plan stacked up, buy a 12-seater Cessna Caravan. The level of landing fees charged at Kaitaia would be one of the crucial factors in deciding whether the plan had wings. It was too early to say what flights would cost but a one-way ticket was likely to be similar to the current Air New Zealand fare. Reaction to the firm's proposal had been very positive, Mr Power said. "Being somewhat remote the local community requires an air service. There's some nervousness about the possibility of not having one - we're here to allay those fears." Mrs Power said the feedback so far had included one particularly heart-warming letter from a Kaitaia GP who told them how much medical services depended on flights to Auckland and Wellington. If there were no Kaitaia flights it would be even harder to persuade good staff to live in the very Far North, the GP said. While in Kaitaia the Powers met airport staff and Far North Holdings chief executive Andy Nock, Kaitaia Business Association representatives, and the owners of Carrington Estate where a huge hotel development is planned. Meanwhile, Inflite's 19-seat Jetstream 32 dropped into Kaitaia on Friday afternoon with 16 Chinese passengers heading to Carrington Estate. The plane had been due to return empty to Auckland so the firm offered the seats free to Kaitaia's business community and, via a GP, locals who needed to get to Auckland but could not afford to fly. The remaining seats were offered to Age readers who phoned in after last week's story. In the end only Bruce and Chris Buckby seized the opportunity, flying to Auckland to visit elderly parents before making their own way home to Kaitaia. Inflite is the only third-level airline already operating planes of the same size as the Beechcraft 1900D Air NZ uses on the Kaitaia run. It also plans to offer early-morning flights if its bid is successful. Air New Zealand's last flight out of Kaitaia is on April 28.
There is a nice photo of Dan and Bev Power at Kaitaia with Aztec ZK-ECM at
I dont think They even own a Piper Cheiftan!
ReplyDeleteTwo pilots based in Kaitaia eh. Perhaps the local council might also ask about the Sunair pay rates for staff because Northland already has enough people on the bones of their ase...why import two more?
ReplyDeleteAre any of those people on the bones of their ar$e qualified to fill the role?
DeletePerhaps my point wasn't clear enough (and that is on me). I am implying Sunair is so well known for its abysmal pay rates, any pilots bought into do the work will only add to the already large financially challenged population of the North.
DeleteAll clear now. Thanks for responding.
DeleteAll the best to them but I'll believe it when I see it re the C208.
ReplyDeleteI would guess the initial buy price would be around 3-4 times the value of one of those old aztecs for a second hand caravan, completely new operating certificate (P125), SOPs, route approvals, training etc.
Has Sunair ever operated turbines before?
No, they haven't operated a turbine before. The largest aircraft they have operated were Cessna 421 Golden Eagle ZK-WLG and Piper Pa31 Chieftain ZK-KAP. See http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.co.nz/2011/02/sunair-still-shining-25-years-on.html
DeleteIt has been almost four weeks to digest the call made by Air New Zealand to close Eagle air and with it, five flights will stop from April 2015, along with the final Eagle air flight Hamilton to Auckland a year later and the three airports will no longer have the kouru on the tarmac.
ReplyDeleteThe three airports that will no longer be Air New Zealand airports
Westport.
Westport would have to be in my opinion the most hardest done by airport in terms of the isolation, the complexity for any potential new comer especially for a single engine un-pressurized aircraft such as the commonly used Cessna Caravan.. The mountainous terrain and the typically unpredictable Westcost weather makes an diversion plan all the more important.. And the size of population (4500) any potential customer would struggle with anything bigger than a 19 seat aircraft.
Kaitaia.
In the past Kaitaia has often mentioned on various aviation forum's, as one of the first ports to be axed from Air NZ's network and it has been no surprise that it will not be kept on with the end of Eagle air.. With a population of around 5000, the Kaitaia route has seen very little growth in the past 20 odd years since Air NZ has operated this route. Started of as a one midday flight a day with the Bandeirante. The only real growth was when it went to a two flight flight weekly with the B1900D. There was really no potential with a Q300...? Although the runway was strengthened for larger aircraft. Being the northern most airport in NZ and the closest to Cape Reinga... it makes you think what is the missing ingredient that Paihia has over Kaitaia.
The Auckland-Kaitaia route though would have to be the more straight forward route to be filled though by an other operator with very little in the way of terrain and Auckland airport being both a key airport and also the home base for the likes of Inflite and as has been the case already four potential operators bidding to be adding it to their operations come April 29 2015..
Whakatane....
ReplyDeleteWhat would have to be the most surprising and unexpected decision by far for me and one route you would almost expected for Air NZ to put a Q300 on... albeit at a much reduced frequency... Whakatane has always had five to six flights a day for the almost the last 20 odd years that Eagle air has been operating the Auckland to Whakatane flight. Back when it was a bandit/metro mix there must have been some need for a 19 seat metro over the 15 seat bandit back then to then stay at the same frequncy when all bandits and metros were replaced by the B1900D.
Whakatane would have to share the same ugly duckling relationship Wanaka shares with Queenstown with Tauranga and Rotorua airports only an hours drive but... With a population of 15,000 more than Wanaka's.. along with a large population catchment area of 35,000 including settlements such as Opotiki Murapara and Kawerau (closer to Rotorua in KMs.. but anyone who has drivin the Rotomas at night and during winter would know its not for the fainthearded!!! and trying to catch that 645/700 flight to Wellington/Auckland... Most locals used the more easier to get to Whakatane airport) and the high numbers that swell over the summer months, very strong industry along with sport fishing and tourism. One wonders why Air NZ never really trialed the Q300..? Whakatane for its size and the outlying areas such as the likes of Opotiki. The region really needs a air service to connect with Auckland or Wellington. A airline that would use something in the range of a 15-19 seats such as Inflite or Air Chatams..
Would a Air Chatams 580 work..? a mix of passangers and freight? Lots of potential for the "would be operators" for this route and just hope that Sunair if they do this, that they seriously look at updating their aircraft and or purchasing a larger more modern aircraft.
Taupo.
The other major route to be cut. Taupo to Wellington service was a small surprise too... It was bit of a shame to lose the direct capital link... Living in Taupo for a year now I was quite impressively surprised just how busy "year round" Taupo can be and the year round activities Taupo has to offer!! and there are many I know that regularly used the wellington flight and a lot more who would use it if it weren't for the expensive airfares i.e a Q300 flight...??!! Like Whakatane.. Taupo has decent settlement catchment including Mangakino and Turangi and there is a lot of potential here in regards to the aviation side and getting new customer types such as tourists and local travelers and a North Island alternative for skiing during the winter via Wellington "the closest true gateway to Ruapehu ski fields" and with huge events such as the round the lake and Iron man and year round activities such as the Tongariro crossing (one of the worlds great walks).. It has a Queenstown like resort like feel to it, with the lack of malls and boutique shops one wonders if Taupo could have been marketed a little more from Air NZ....? Be interesting to see who picks up this one.. and alot like Westport.. The Wellington route is also one with its challenges with the Central Plateau a slight hurdle for single engine aircraft.. One maybe for Air Chatams 580 or does Inflite/Sounds air need to look at getting another aircraft..?
Connie can do it, just need a reasonable passenger load (30+).
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteFive other airlines that have not been mentioned and have large aircraft that could be used on scheduled flights.. what are your thoughts on these..
ReplyDeleteStewart Island... two Normands bottom of the country but could they get involved in anyway..?
Air Safaris....Any chance of seeing the three wise Nomads plying the Westport service or even further up the line to Taupo/Whakatane..? along with the airvan and the caravan..?
Airwork... On wiki they have a biggish fleet.. How tied down are all their aircraft on the freight runs..? any possibility seeing their metro or f27 in Whakatane or Kaitaia anytime soon?
Mainland air... A possibility to have another crack at scheduled flight services.. Westport..?
Air Milford... Two caravans in their fleet... any chance of swinging one in on a passenger run.. once again being south island based.. Westport would be the most logical
I love Air NZ and am very proud as a kiwi to have this airline from a country of 4 mill which is really at the end of the line!! to dominate and showcase NZ to the world and be a leading edge world airline BUT... Air NZ is both.. not a charitable airline and with the recent government sell off.. one wonders just how much the government was writing off the claimed losses air nz was running when operating the more marginal routes when it was fully owned by the government..? and also just how much on the other routes was Air NZ willing to promote or try such as the Palmerston North-Nelson and Whakatane and Taupo flights that are going to be cut...?
ReplyDeleteAnyway it is going to be an exciting time in NZs' aviation future like the Mount Cook Ansetts of the past I just hope that some of these airlines that have put a name out and others that are still thinking about it such as Air2there Fly My Sky, that they will step up fill the vacuum left by Air NZ and also add some much needed diversity and color to a currently bland aviation scene here in NZ. Its time to make a name and create a positively impacting image for themselves esp for the likes of Sunair... and others such as Sounds air make some calculated risks and look into getting a larger aircraft...
The realities of this business are harsh. To change from charter operations to scheduled flight is a massive cost increase with a reduction in stable returns. A 19 seat turbo prop is still going to cost a lot of money to operate and as a consequence the ticket price will have to reflect the risk that the investor is taking.
ReplyDeleteIt takes a long time to build a route to the point that investment in better equipment is justified. The mistake that most of the failed airlines made is that they expanded beyond their market. The most successful operation that we have seen today is Sounds Air, they have built new routes from spare capacity not having to find new routes for new capacity. As the new routes stabilise and turn a profit then new hardware can be investigated.
It is the fixed costs that really sink flights to the regions. The cost of staff, buildings, airport lease charges. The local councils have always seen Air NZ as a bit of a cash cow for the operation of the airport and ensured that they have charged top rate for their infrastructure. I am sure the councils are offering discounts or free use to attract any new operator into their airports!
Who would want to fly with Sunair, let alone in an Aztec. One had an engine failure today!
ReplyDeleteA Sunair one?, where did this happen?
Deletehttp://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/small-kiwi-airline-comes-kaitaia-s-rescue-6231800
ReplyDeleteGo GBA