Barrier Air - The Northern Regional Airline

Updated OCTOBER 2024

On the 22nd of September 2014 Graham Reynolds formed Great Barrier Airlines Ltd to take over Great Barrier Airlines Flight Operations Ltd, which traded under the name Great Barrier Airlines which had operated services to Great Barrier Island since 1983. John Leggot and Peter Griffiths became shareholders in April 2017. Initially the company continued to operate as Great Barrier Airlines and operate its regular services from both Auckland and North Shore to Great Barrier Island using a mixture of piston aircraft, including two Piper Chieftains (one the Brazilian Embraer variant), a Britten Norman Islander and a Partenavia.

In late 2014 Air New Zealand announced its intention to withdraw its Auckland to Kaitaia service. After entering into an agreement with Far North Holdings, the Kaitaia airport operator, Great Barrier Airlines announced in February 2015 that it would offer services between Auckland and Kaitaia from the 28th of April 2015. The company planned to operate three daily flights each way on weekdays using a 12-seater Cessna 208B Grand Caravan with two flights a day on Saturdays and Sundays. Great Barrier Airlines' General Manager Murray Pope said the new service would bring many benefits for Far North residents. “Our schedules mean that business people will be able to undertake a full day’s business in Auckland before flying home in the evening. They will also be able to transfer to and from Wellington services.” 

Great Barrier Airlines first service from Kaitaia to Auckland took off from Kaitaia at 2.15pm on Wednesday 29 April 2015 with flight GBA616, being flown by Embraer EMB-820C ZK-RDT. The first inbound flight to Kaitaia, GBA619, was again flown in Embraer EMB-820C ZK-RDT. One of the passengers wrote on her Facebook page, Today was the first day that the new Great Barrier Airlines service between Kaitaia and Auckland operated and I really enjoyed being on the last flight in tonight. The WAKARERE was a 9 seater with 2 pilots and 4 passengers. Lovely takeoff, flight and landing. Bit bumpy coming in to KAITAIA but way quieter than the Air NZ flights used to be. Tenei taku whakatauki mo tena - Climb high, climb far. Your goal the sky, your aim the star. As well as using the Embraer 820C on the Kaitaia service Great Barrier Airlines also used Mainland Air's Piper PA31 Chieftain ZK-VIP and for a short time air2there's Cessna 208B Grand Caravan ZK-MYH. 

Cessna 208B Grand Caravan ZK-MYH which serviced the Kaitaia route for a short time. Photo taken at Auckland on 5 May 2015

On the 13th of July 2015 BN Islander ZK-FVD, Partenavia ZK-PLA and Embraer 820C ZK-RDT were registered to the new Great Barrier Airlines Ltd. 

A couple of days later on the 15th of July 2015 Great Barrier Airlines was renamed as Barrier Air. 

A tangible sign of the new company was the addition of Cessna Grand Caravan ZK-SDB to the fleet. The Caravan entered into service for the first time on the 11th of August 2015 flying from Auckland to Kaitaia and return. It flew to Great Barrier Island for the first time the following day.

Barrier Air's first Cessna Grand Caravan, ZK-SDB at Auckland on 29 September 2015

Also carrying Barrier Air titles is Britten Norman Island. Photo taken at Auckland on 26 October 2015

The Kaitaia schedule was reduced from the 17th of August 2015 with two flights being offered each way between Auckland and Kaitaia on weekdays and one flight each way on Saturdays and Sundays.

From November 2015 Barrier Air changed their Kaitaia timetable to better suit business traffic. The afternoon flights from this time were rescheduled to depart Kaitaia at 4.00pm instead of 2.00pm.

Embraer 820C ZK-RDT at Auckland on 19 December 2015

Piper PA31-Chieftain ZK-VIP at Auckland on 30 November 2015

In December 2015 Barrier Air introduced a Whangarei to Auckland service on Friday evenings with a return Auckland to Whangarei service on Sunday evenings. During the summer holidays Auckland-Whangarei return services were being offered on both Friday and Sunday evenings. Barrier Air also introduced a scheduled shuttle between Great Barrier Claris and Okiwi on Fridays and Sundays to connect Okiwi to Auckland and North Shore services. Piper Chieftain ZK-FOP was added to the fleet in December 2015 and it began flying for the company on the 27th of December 2015 when it operated the Kaitaia services. 

Barrier Air's Partenavia P68 ZK-PLA at Auckland on 30 December 2015.

For a pictorial post on Barrier Air's Cessna Grand Caravan operations see :

http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.co.nz/2015/12/gb-3-akl-gbi-akl.html

February 2016 saw further expansion. On the 4th of February 2016 Barrier Air commenced city hopper flights between Auckland International Airport and North Shore Airport allowing passengers to and from the North Shore a quick flight over Auckland's traffic congestion. This services were offered twice a day on weekdays. The first flight, GB310, was operated by Embraer 820 ZK-RDT. 

Then, on the 13th of February 2016, Barrier Air introduced flights between Hamilton and Auckland replacing the Air New Zealand service which had ended the day before. The first flight from Auckland, GB55, was operated by Cessna Grand Caravan ZK-SDB under the command of Travis McKee. The Hamilton schedule saw eleven flights offered each week as follows;

The mid-morning flights were timed to connect to Kiwi Regional flights to Nelson and Dunedin at Hamilton.

Announcing the arrival of Barrier Air flight 55 from Auckland 

Leading the way across the tarmac, Nick Pearson, Barrier Air's Logistics Manager (left) talks to the company's Chief Executive Mike Foster.

By the beginning of April 2016 the Hamilton schedule was reduced to operate on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays with flights leaving Auckland at 10.30am to arrive at Hamilton at 11.00am and leaving Hamilton at 12.00noon to arrive at Auckland at 12.30pm. The Okiwi-Claris and  Auckland-North Shore flights were withdrawn about this time.

Barrier Air added Piper PA31 Chieftain ZK-FOP to its fleet in December 2015. It is seen here arriving at Hamilton on 7 March 2016

On 2 May 2016 Barrier Air commenced weekday Auckland-Whangarei flights with Piper Chieftain ZK-VIP operating the first service. Flights left Auckland at 7.00am to arrive at Whangarei at 7.30am and Whangarei at 5.30pm to arrive at Auckland at 6.00pm. Between these flights the aircraft operated the doctors' flight between Whangarei and Kaitaia. Passengers could book flights between Auckland and Kaitaia subject to seats being available.

In August 2016 Barrier Air withdrew all three Piper Chieftains from its fleet. At the same time the doctors' flights between Whangarei and Kaitaia ended as well as the Auckland to Whangarei scheduled service. Flights between North Shore and Great Barrier Island were also reduced and these flights were usually operated by the BN Islander or Partenavia. 

Over the 2017/2018 summer there were a number of fleet changes. In October 2017 the Partenavia ZK-PLA was also withdrawn from the fleet, while in January 2018 a second Cessna Grand Caravan, ZK-SDC was added to the fleet. On the 20th of April 2018 Britten Norman Islander ZK-FVD was withdrawn from service after operating flight GB206 from Great Barrier Island to North Shore. 

The retirement of the BN Islander made Barrier Air an all turbine airline with two Cessna Grand Caravans. This was a significant milestone for the airline and a watershed moment which was the launch pad for a high level of professionalism, growing the business and  improving its passenger appeal. 

Cessna Grand Caravan ZK-SDC at Auckland on 25 June 2018

Before being withdrawn the North Shore service had been losing patronage and so Barrier Air took time to reassess the service before introducing the Caravan to the route. As part of this the company received the necessary certification to offer an IFR service on the route and have the Caravan certified for North Shore Airport. On the 10th of September 2018 Barrier Air resumed its flights between Great Barrier Island and North Shore. The Caravans were load-restricted to 12 passengers inbound and 10 out until two aircraft were fitted with a STOL kit which enables 12 passengers in and out. 

The first flights were operated in Cessna 208B Grand Caravan ZK-SDC which departed Great Barrier Island's Claris airport as flight GB204 at 11.16am and arrived at North Shore at 11:40am. The return flight, GB205, departed North Shore and 12.17pm and arrived at Great Barrier Island (Claris) at 12:41pm. The North Shore flights operate on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.

Above and below, Barrier Air at North Shore in the form of Cessna Grand Caravan ZK=SDC - looking sharp in its new colour scheme on the 17th of December 2018

 

On the 16th of October 2018 Barrier Air added a third Cessna Grand Caravan to its fleet. ZK-SDD was also the first of Barrier Air's Caravan to appear in the company's new colour scheme with ZK-SDC being repainted a couple of weeks later. 

Cessna Caravans ZK-SDD and ZK-SDC wearing Barrier Air's new colour scheme at Auckland on 17 December 2018

As well as moving to a standardised colour scheme Barrier Air was also moving to develop the technology employed on the company's aircraft. All three Caravans feature the same G1000 GPS glass cockpit suite and Garmin integrated autopilot systems. The technology also includes synthetic vision systems. In practice, using GPS and other databases, the pilot can “look through” clouds and see terrain. If the terrain is coming too close the terrain turns red! Getting the technology right has been a major investment exercise for Barrier Air. Flying into Auckland can mean a lot of holding for larger aircraft. The new technology and patient working and developing of relationships with Airways and the airport company has enabled Barrier Air to develop IT systems to coordinate arrival slots in Auckland. The G1000 suite allows quick response to ATC requirements as the Barrier Air Caravans approach Auckland at busy times. All this investment has significantly reduced holding times at Auckland and vastly improved the quality of the service delivered to the customer. 

The glass cockpit as seen in ZK-SDB in November 2015

The Caravan has proved itself as a good platform for Barrier Air. Matt Cameron, Barrier Air’s chief pilot believes “Having more than one Caravan was the game changer for Barrier Air. The Caravan is incredibly reliable with a dispatch rate internationally of about 99% and our experience would match that - that’s with the Caravan possibly operating for 7 to 9 hours a day. For every hour flown money is put aside for maintenance so there is always money for maintenance. Most maintenance is done at Flight Care in Napier with the checks being done every 200 hours. When the Caravan is done there a swarm of engineers work on it so all the checks are done it can be returned to service as quickly as possible.  The Caravan is incredibly reliable but for the other niggles that come up between servicing at Napier support is provided by Oceania at Ardmore.” Barrier Air remains committed to ensure the high standards of safety and ensuring the aircraft are presented looking good. 

With increasing numbers of passenger, from the 15th of October 2018, Barrier Air added two extra Auckland-Great Barrier weekday return flights to the schedule with an additional flight on Saturdays and Sundays. In summer there are days when 15 flights can be operated between Auckland and the Barrier. Barrier Air's Chief Operating Officer Grant Bacon says the airline has “really focused on getting Aucklanders to experience Great Barrier Island. It’s a good, local ‘overseas’ destination that you fly to from an international airport and it’s off the grid! People love the Barrier and there are a growing number of accommodation providers giving different options for people wanting to get away from it all. Often our flights are full both ways, especially with weekend traffic. Freight is also growing and two supermarkets have deals with Barrier Air to fly groceries to the Barrier. You can have anything from 6 to 60-70 boxes a day.”

Barrier Air Cessna 208 Grand Caravan ZK-SDC taken at Great Barrier Island on 8 April 2019

Barrier Air's third Cessna Grand Caravan, ZK-SDD at Auckland on 4 October 2020

On the 4th of March 2019 Barrier Air added an additional six return flights a week to its service between Auckland and Kaitaia thereby giving Kaitaia a daily service. The new flights were offered Wednesday through to Monday, departing Auckland for Kaitaia at 11.00am and the return flights departing Kaitaia at 12.40pm. On the 30th of July 2019 a Tuesday flight was added to this schedule giving a total of 13 flights a week between Auckland and Kaitaia. Grant Bacon, Barrier Air's Chief Operating Officer, told 3rd Level NZ that "The loads to and from Kaitaia have been excellent and well received by the market." 

Cessna Grand Caravan ZK-SDD at Kaitaia on 2 March 2020

Northland Age, 26 March 2019

From the 27th of September 2019 Barrier Air operated its first "double Friday evening flight" to Kaitaia. Due to increasing passenger numbers the airline adds an additional Friday evening service to and from Kaitaia whenever the 6.15pm departure from Auckland is full, with the second flight departing from Auckland at 6.30pm.

Barrier Air's inaugural double Friday evening service to Kaitaia... Cessna 208 Grand Caravans ZK-SDC and ZK-SDD on the ground at Kaitaia on Friday on 27 September 2019

Like all other airlines in New Zealand Barrier Air was impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic of 2020. The services to Kaitaia were halted, however, Barrier Air were needed to operate a daily life-line flight schedule to Great Barrier Island throughout the lockdown period. The flights were limited to all freight services including food boxes, medicine, medical samples, NZ Post and any other freight. The airline was also able to carry essential staff critical to Great Barrier Island. Initially a daily flight was offered but by the 8th of April a second flight was needed.

With the country moved to Level 2, the Great Barrier Island schedule moved to three flights a day from the 14th of May 2020 and the Kaitaia service resumed on the 20th of May 2020 with three flights per week. The Kaitaia flights have slowly built up and from the 14th of August 2020 the town was again receiving a daily service. On the 10th of September 2020 flights resumed between North Shore and Great Barrier Island.

Cessna 208 Grand Caravan ZK-SDC at North Shore on 10 September 2020

The reduction in services due to the Covid restrictions enabled Barrier Air to get ahead of its normal maintenance schedule as part of the airline's proactive rather than reactive maintenance and safety programmes. As part of this Barrier Air's first Grand Caravan, ZK-SDB, was repainted and had a couple of extra jobs done on it "to keep the aircraft in top condition." For a brief time it operated in an all white colour scheme.

Barrier Air's first Cessna 208B Grand Caravan in an all white colour scheme at Auckland on 31 August 2020...

... and in the full colour scheme at Auckland on 4 October 2020...

The 11th of September 2020 marked another step in Barrier Air's transformation with the arrival back in Auckland of the company's first Cessna 208 Grand Caravan, ZK-SDB, repainted in Barrier Air's full company livery. Barrier Air's fleet now carry the same livery. Nick Pearson, Barrier Air's Chief Executive Officer said, "This is a real milestone for our airline and is a visual representation of all of the hard work by many people over the past 5 years to make Barrier Air the professional, reliable and safe airline that you see today. The team at Flightcare in Napier have done a great job maintaining our aircraft and the recent paint work is a testament to the high level of service they provide."

Looking sharp! With the return of "Bravo" the Barrier Air fleet at Auckland, with from left to right ZK-SDB, ZK-SDD and ZK-SDC. 

From the 20th of January 2021 Barrier Air increased their frequency on their Great Barrier Island-North Shore service to two return flights daily, except on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Flights departed North Shore at 9.00am and 12 noon and Great Barrier Island at 10.50am and 4.00pm for the 30 minute flight. To facilitate the new flights Barrier Air leased an additional Cessna Grand Caravan ZK-SLA from True South in Queenstown. This was based at North Shore. Barrier Air's new CEO, Grant Bacon, told 3rd Level New Zealand, "We are essentially at capacity right now for Auckland and with only doing 3 flights a week at North Shore there is plenty of room for growth. The demand for North Shore significantly drops off in winter so we will schedule it until the end of April and review it but will certainly at least continue our existing winter schedule using our existing fleet after April." ZK-SLA operated with Barrier Air until the beginning of April when the schedule dropped to a daily service.

Leased Cessna Grand Caravan ZK-SLA at Great Barrier Island's Claris airport on 20 January 2021

On the 4th of May 2021 Barrier Air announced today it would commence daily services between Auckland International and Whitianga.  Services will commence on the 16th of December 2021. The service will use Barrier Air's Cessna 208 Grand Caravans with the airline in the process of purchasing a fourth Cessna Grand Caravan to cater for the new Whitianga service. The company announced that it would work with CAA to reactivate the RNAV approach at Whitianga enabling IFR flights, the first such flights that have been offered on an air service to Whitianga. It was envisage that morning flights would depart Auckland for Whitianga at 7.30am with a return flight at 8.30am Monday to Saturday. Afternoon flights would depart Auckland at 3.30pm and with the return flight departing Whitianga at 4.30pm. Grant Bacon, Barrier Air's CEO, told 3rd Level NZ, We are excited to be launching our new route to Whitianga later this year. With our now successful Kaitaia route I feel that Whitianga will be a lot easier than Kaitaia was. A couple of years ago when we increased our services to Kaitaia to 27 sectors per week we felt it was a big risk and would either make or break us. But at the time we made some really good relationships up in the far north with local business, the iwi and locals. We walked the streets promoting the service in Kaitaia and it actually started to work. Post-Covid it is near the record levels of summer 2019/20 and we are really pleased with how Kaitaia is going. So based on this experience, Whitianga has a larger populations base, it’s a tough commute via road and people have more ties to Auckland with family and holiday homes etc and the region is very marketable which is why we have decided to give it a crack. 

The Mercury Bay Informer, 20 July 2021

Cessna Grand Caravan ZK-SDB lands on the cross runway at Great Barrier Island's Claris airport on 20 January 2021

Covid-19 continued to play havoc with Barrier Air's plans throughout 2021 as it did to many operators. One of those that succumbed to the challenges of Covid and the economic downturn was Barrier Air's competition on the Auckland-Great Barrier Island route, Fly My Sky, which went into liquidation on the 29th of June 2021. 

All of New Zealand moved to Alert Level 4 Lockdown at 11:59pm on the 17th of August 2021 meaning the suspension of most domestic airline operations. While most of New Zealand was out of lockdown by the end of the month Auckland remained in lockdown and Barrier Air's regular scheduled services remained suspended until the 15th of December 2021. Meanwhile the airline operated at least two freight flights a day to meet the need of Great Barrier Island residents. Towards the end of the lockdown and beyond Barrier Air was operating regular special flights between Auckland and Hawera in support of the response to a Covid-19 outbreak in South Taranaki.

With Fly My Sky's closure Barrier Air needed extra capacity and a fourth Cessna 208B Grand Caravan, ZK-SDE, entered service on the 23rd of October 2021, flying two return freight flights from Auckland to Great Barrier Island, BARRIER 101 and return 102 this morning and 109 and return 110. 

With Auckland coming out of lockdown Barrier Air commenced Auckland-Whitianga flights on the 16th of December 2021. Doing the honours under the command of Daryl Williamson was Barrier Air's newest Cessna 208 Grand Caravan ZK-SDE. On board BARRIER 401, the inaugural flight, were 8 passengers with 7 passengers on the return to Auckland, BARRIER 402. There was a nice crowd gathered to see the arrival of the first flight including the local fire brigade who gave a water arch salute to welcome the first scheduled IFR service. 

Daryl Williamson, pilot for the inaugural services and Barrier Air's CEO Grant Bacon...

Cessna Grand Caravan ZK-SDE at Auckland after the first flight to and from Whitianga on the 16th of December 2021

Barrier Air route map as from 16 December 2021

Cessna 208B Grand Caravan ZK-SDE at Auckland on 28 March 2022

Operating the lunchtime service into Kaitaia on 5 April 2022 was Barrier Air's Cessna 208 Grand Caravan ZK-SDB, my ride back to Auckland

In April 2022 Barrier Air announced that they are upping the frequency of their flights to Whitianga. From the 1st of December there will be three return flights between Auckland and Whitianga each weekday, one on Saturdays and two on Saturdays. The schedule will see flights departing Auckland at 7.00am Monday to Friday, 7.30am on a Saturday and 3.30pm and 5.30pm Sunday to Friday. The return flights depart Whitianga at 8.00am Monday to Friday, 8.30am on a Saturday and 4.30pm and 6.30pm Sunday to Friday. 

In June 2022 Barrier Air announced details of a new Great Barrier Island-Tauranga service which will start on the 2nd of December 2022. The airline is starting the new service with three flights being offered each week on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. The flight from Great Barrier Island to Tauranga will depart at 4.20pm and arrive at 5.00pm. The return flight will leave Tauranga at 5.45pm and arrive at Great Barrier Island at 6.25pm. An economy fare is $175 while a premium fare in $189.

Barrier Air's CEO Grant Bacon said "It is great to be growing our route network into destinations like Tauranga. The population in the city is at a level which we think a scheduled service to Great Barrier Island will work well and it gives us a base at Tauranga to pursue other routes in the future. These are uncertain times and operating costs are going thru the roof but the 3 x weekly schedule gives us the opportunity with limited exposure." 

Later social media coverage indicated that the decision has been made to limit the Tauranga service to the summer months through too Easter 2023.

In an interview on Whitianga-based Altbays Studios' YouTube channel in June 2022 Barrier Air's CEO Grant Bacon gave a good overview of the airline's operation. Speaking about the Whitianga service he said there were "great passenger numbers to Whitianga from day one… May (2022) has been the best month since the service started." He also acknowledged that there were sectors where there only a couple of people – but often the return flight was well booked. It was rare to have small numbers both way. Unlike Great Barrier Island flights where there a lot of passengers on a Friday heading to the Barrier and not many returning and the reverse on a Sunday, the Whitianga flights tended to be full on Fridays and Sundays both ways. The airline had seriously committed to the Whitianga service spending some $50,000 to re-establish the RNAV approach.

Speaking on the Great Barrier Island service he said the airline flies between 5 and 22 return flights each day. The main function is servicing Great Barrier Islanders carrying them, their freight, food and mail. Freight can be challenging, with 4 or 5 tonnes to fly to the Barrier one day and 1 tonne the next day.  The Great Barrier Island route is very seasonal. This year it meant Barrier Air had 41 to 43 staff employed over the summer, while next summer it will be more like 50. 

Speaking on the northern service he said "Kaitaia keeps going from strength to strength. It is the  backbone route beyond the Barrier as Kaitaia is more steady all year round." 

The 2022 winter proved to be somewhat problematic for Barrier Air's successful Whitianga service and in July the airline had to suspend operations for a couple of weeks due to the closure of Whitianga's sodden, grass runway. Following this closure the airline reduced the schedule to minimise disruptions during the very wet winter. The normal schedule resumed on the 1st of October with a third weekday flight and second Sunday flight to commence on the 1st of December.

Barrier Air's fifth Cessna 208B Grand Caravan, ZK-SDG, entered service on the 21st of October 2022. The aircraft had been bought from French airline Finistair and arrived in Auckland on the 21st of September 2022 as F-HFTR after a 12-day ferry flight from France. It's first flight was GB831, a freight flight from Auckland to Great Barrier Island. It's first passenger flight was GB705 to Great Barrier Island.

Barrier Air's fifth Cessna 208B Grand Caravan, ZK-SDG, at Claris on 22 October 2022 

From the 20th of October 2022 Barrier Air operated three flights between Auckland and Kaitaia on Thursdays. This was increased to four on the 3rd of November instead of the two previously offered. The new flights enabled business travellers from the main centres to have a whole day of business in Kaitaia and return on the same day. The previous Barrier Air schedule had two flights each week day between Auckland and Kaitaia, leaving Auckland at 11.00am and 6.15pm and leaving Kaitaia at 6.50am and 12.40pm. The extended schedule has a new morning flight leave Auckland at 8.00am to arrive in Kaitaia at 9.05am. The return flight leaves at 9.40am to arrive in Auckland at 10.45am. In the afternoon a new flight leaves Auckland at 2.30pm to arrive at 3.35pm. The return flight leaves Kaitaia at 4.00pm to arrive at 5.05pm. The timings enable to and connections from Christchurch or Wellington.

Barrier Air's CEO Grant Bacon said, We had a request from Wellington based business travellers to put a northbound morning flight on as a once off and then a south bound in the afternoon in order for them to do a day trip. We opened up the rest of the seats and they sold like hotcakes to other members of the public so we tested the market and it proves that there is demand. We will probably add another flight early in the week once we get the Thursdays rotations up and running. Kaitaia is really working well for us and the hard graft developing the route is paying off.

For the 2022/23 summer Barrier Air announced a third daily flight between Great Barrier Island and North Shore. Over winter Barrier Air operates a reduced Great Barrier Island - North Shore that operates four days a week on Mondays, Wednesdays. Fridays and Sundays. From the 27th of November 2022 daily flights resumed, from the 19th of December 2022 twice daily flights and from the 26th of December 2022 thrice daily flights. These departed Great Barrier Island at 8.00am, 10.50am and 4.00pm. The return flights will leave at 9.15am, 12.00 noon and 5.15pm. The flight takes 30 minutes.

Barrier Air introduced its Great Barrier Island - Tauranga service on the 2nd of December 2022, with the first services, GB 962, and the return, GB 963, being flown by Sophia Moodabe-Smith in Cessna 208B Grand Caravan ZK-SDC. The service operates three days a week on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. The flight from Great Barrier Island to Tauranga will depart at 4.20pm and arrive at 5.00pm. The return flight will leave Tauranga at 5.45pm and arrive at Great Barrier Island at 6.25pm. 

Speaking to 3rd Level New Zealand Barrier Air's CEO, Grant Bacon, said It is brilliant to have our new Tauranga service finally operating today. The support from Tauranga airport, Airways and the local Tauranga and Great Barrier market has been excellent. We have a lot of full flights in December and January which shows the demand for this service. There is no beating around the bush, times are tough and the inflationary environment we are operating is incredibly challenging but with a lean schedule and a good fare price it makes for a solid additional route for our operation. We also like this route as it gives us an opportunity to carry out maintenance checks at our Tauranga maintenance base between the flights. So, all we need is for the oil companies to  come to the party with  some compassion and a reduction in fuel prices and we should be in for a decent summer on this new route. Thanks to our amazing Barrier Air team for making this all a reality!

ZK-SDC on the ground at Tauranga on 2 December 2022 following the Great Barrier Island-Tauranga inaugural service.

The 2022/23 summer provided many challenges for Barrier Air with continuous rain and low cloud. It was certainly not the summer the airline had hoped for after Covid and the challenges of fuel hikes. Nonetheless the airline weathered the storms. Difficulties with road access to both Kaitaia and Whitianga and have their air services though the grass runway at Whitianga remains problematic. The extended Thursday service to Kaitaia continues with three flights being offered on Thursdays. Barrier Air also elected to maintain the Great Barrier Island-Tauranga over the winter with flights being offered on Fridays and Sundays.

Cessna Grand Caravan ZK-SDG on the taxi at Tauranga on 14 May 2023 for its return flight to Great Barrier Island.

On the 21st of April 2024 Barrier Air started a second Friday and Sunday evening flight from Auckland to Kaitaia and a second Friday evening and a new Sunday evening flight from Kaitaia to Auckland. The first flights, GB617 to Kaitaia and the return GB618 were operated with Cessna Grand Caravan ZK-SDB. This brought Barrier Air's Kaitaia schedule up to 17 return flights between Auckland and Kaitaia each week. The northbound schedule operates with 3 flight on Sundays, Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays, 2 on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and 1 on Saturdays. The southbound schedule operates with 3 flights on Mondays and Thursdays, 2 on Sundays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 4 on Fridays and 1 on Saturdays.

Barrier Air's Cessna 208 Grand Caravan at Kaitaia on 9 December 2023

2023 saw the start of the installation of new seating on the Barrier Air Caravan's with 1+1 seating rather than the previous 2+1 seating

On the same day in April 2024 Barrier Air announced that a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan EX, ZK-ROW, would be joining its fleet in October 2024. The Cessna Caravan EX is the latest generation of its type and has only around 200 hours on her clock. On joining the fleet the aircraft would be re-registered as part of the Barrier Air registration series as ZK-SDA.  This announcement led to a second on the 4th of May 2024 with Barrier Air announcing it would serve Kerikeri from the 4th of August 2024 operating 11 return flights each week between Auckland and Kerikeri. Reported in the Northern Adovcate Barrier Air's Chief executive Grant Bacon said the Kaitāia service is strengthening, including recent success with extra flights on Friday and Sunday nights, to allow a weekend getaway. It has bought a new, $5 million 14-seat Cessna Grand Caravan EX for the Bay of Islands journeys, Bacon said. The expansion to Kerikeri will not reduce the number of Kaitāia flights run by Barrier Air and Whangārei could be next on the agenda if it goes well, he said.

Barrier Air's flight frequency was reduced to Tauranga, Whitianga and North Shore over the 2024 autumn/winter months. The Tauranga route had its annual winter break from May until the start of October when the Great Barrier Island - Tauranga flights recommenced. The Auckland - Whitianga route operated on a reduced flight schedule with flights reduced to four days a week, operating on Monday, Wednesday, Friday mornings, and Sunday afternoons. From mid-May, the North Shore - Great Barrier Island route operated on a reduced schedule of Friday and Sunday flights only. 

It was champagne and cakes for passengers checking on Barrier Air's inaugural Kerikeri-Auckland air service on Sunday, the 4th of August 2024. The first flight, GB515, was operated in Cessna 208B Grand Caravan ZK-SDG under the command of Steve Holden. After overnighting The first southbound flight, GB504, was flown on Monday the 5th of August 2024 by the same aircraft and pilot. 

Speaking to 3rd Level New Zealand, Barrier Air's CEO Grant Bacon said, It is great to be leveraging off the success of our Kaitaia route into another Northland town. We see Kaitaia go from strength to strength on all measures and it is only logical that in order to continue our companies growth trajectory that we expand into Kerikeri. I have always liked the demographics of Kerikeri and it is a long commute to Auckland as opposed to say Whangārei. 

We are really happy with the seat sales so far. The average fare price does need to rise a bit but given the tough economic conditions it will be a gradual and balanced approach. The support from Kerikeri locals has been brilliant so far. Also Far North Holdings have done a great job at assisting us into this new route. It is exciting times.

After the inaugural flight, ZK-SDG on the ground at Kerikeri on 4 August 2024.

Barrier Air commenced its service to Kerikeri offering 11 return flights per week. Onboard the inaugural flight to Kerikeri was Barrier Air general manager Karen Pascoe who told Radio New Zealand she was "very excited" to be increasing the links between Northland and Auckland. "The inaugural flight was fully booked. The response has been great, and our social media has been going off. It's very encouraging," she said. "The reason for us coming to Kerikeri was our customers asking us to give it a go, and open it up more for Northland. It's giving folk choices to get up to Northland on holiday, or down to Auckland to see whānau or travel overseas." Pascoe acknowledged taking on Air New Zealand would not be easy. "Big brother's always there but we're just listening to the North. We're going to give it a go, and give it our best shot." 

Cessna 208B Grand Caravan EX, ZK-SDA, entered service with Barrier Air on the 23rd of October 2024, flying GBA 713 to Kaitaia and the return flight GBA 714. The EX model Grand Caravan features a more powerful 867 hp (647 kW) Pratt and Whitney Canada PT6A-140 engine with a four bladed prop. This improves the aircraft's rate of climb compared to the rest of the fleet as well as giving it a 20 km/h higher cruise speed. Maximum payload is only 90 lb (41 kg) more. 

Since its inception as Barrier Air the airline has transformed itself from an operator with a hotch-potch fleet of piston aircraft to a modern airline with a professional and dynamic management, enthusiastic staff and a fleet of five turbo-prop Cessna Grand Caravans equipped with state of the art navigational equipment and presented with a modern corporate colour scheme flying close to 100,000 people every year. The airline's investment in equipment, systems and communities has paid off with the airline garnering a reputation in the communities it serves as a solid operator. This busy airline continues to look to grow its business as it comfortably and confidently weathers the challenges all airlines face as it climbs even higher.