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Sounds Air officially launched its Paraparaumu-Blenheim service on Friday 30 January 2015. "Sounds Air November" positioned from Omaka on Friday morning and operated the first southbound flight to Blenheim's Woodbourne Airport (Sounds Air 10) carrying a group of Kapiti fishermen. Sounds Air's new Cessna Grand Caravan, ZK-SAW, operated the first northbound flight (Sounds Air 39).
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| Sounds Air's Cessna Grand Caravan at Paraparaumu after the first "official" northbound flight on 30 January 2015 |
While Friday was the official launch of the service "shake-down flights" were flown earlier in the week on Tuesday and Thursday.
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| Cessna Caravan ZK-PDM operating a "shake-down flight" at Paraparaumu on 29 January 2015 |
Sounds Air are offering three flights between Paraparaumu and Blenheim each weekday with a single flight on Sunday afternoons in competition with air2there who operate two flights each day on the same route.
SO.. It's been almost three month's since the "devastating news" when Air NZ announced that it will be axing some flights and towns altogether with the retirement of the B1900D's....
ReplyDeleteWith your brilliant knowledge Steve of our country's aviation ... Whats the rap up of the developments (then and now) winners/losers of the towns and airlines that have filled the void and the airlines/services that have so far failed to get something going...
So from What I understand....
Kaitaia
Still being reviewed but looks like it would most likely swing to Inflite to get a service up and running with it's J32...
Whangarei
The Wellington service most likely wont be happening anytime soon. Anyone interested in that service at all...? Any demand?
Hamilton to Auckland
With the improvements to the Waikato expressway etc I am guessing there would be little interest in keeping the "business run" going..? Inflite maybe..? being a more of a corporate air service..?
Whakatane
Looks like Chatham's has the service in the bag.. Biggest winner of the cut services by Air NZ in regards to the increase in capacity with the 580s albeit at a cut frequency from the 5 to 2 flights a day.. That's if... They can fill the 580s and not be dropped to the 19 seat metro
Taupo
Still a mystery to who will fill the void to Wellington... A a few rumors going around inreg to a local company going to operate the service or a service to CHC
Westport
Sounds air will be taking on the service with the new PC-12
Masterton
A service to Auckland was all but in the bag with Vincent until they went into liquidation... Any word or rumors on any interested parties..?
At the beginning Sounds air and Sun air were very quick at putting their hand up to fill the void left by air nz where as Inflite, Air Chatams and Air2there, (airlines had the aircraft, that could provide services to these centers) kept things silent and took a few weeks/months to make their interests known. Air2there "is there anything I have missed..?" has yet to mention any thoughts or proposals as of yet and one wonders exactly what will happen to them with new's such as this...?
ReplyDeleteInflite and Kaitaia "most likely"
Air Chatams and Whakatane
Sound's Air and Westport
What has happened to Sun air.. and what will become of Air2there?
Who will most likely operate the Taupo-Wellington, Hamilton to Auckland, Whangarie to Wellington, Hamilton to Palmy to Nelson and the Masterton service..? With Sound's air taking on Westport, Inflite to Kaitaia "most likely" and Air Chatham's to Whakatane... What spare capacity i.e aircraft and airlines is there to the flights that Air NZ will be cutting and what services has the demand to keep them open..?
Looks like the Kaitaia to Auckland run has been awarded to Great Barrier Airlines to operate with a C208B.. Very cool!
DeleteAir2there, I would imagine will keep doing what they have been doing, I wouldnt say they had aircraft spare that could fill up any voids let over from air NZ departing certain routes.
ReplyDeleteRegarding Sun Air and [I've heard rumors] GBA picking up something like a caravan I get the feeling some people dont realise that unless you already have the machine, other financial resources/partners or a big kite of money lying around in the bank it is quite likely to be a big financial cost on the company to aquire and set up a caravan to operate P125 SEIFR ops
My 5 cents but I feel with Air Chats trying Whakatane and possibly Inflight to Kaitaia that financial cost would be too much of a risk.
The rest may just be relegated to history for the time being. Also dont forget we are still yet to hear what will become of Ewan Wilsons "kiwi Regional Airlines".