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| Remember when Boeing 737s were doing regional services... Boeing 737-200 ZK-NAV at Napier on 20 January 1992. 737s also did regional services to Invercargill, Rotorua, Palmerston North and Hamilton |
This blog started off by focussing on NZ's smaller 3rd level airlines, past and present. It has evolved to trying to present some record of NZ's domestic airline operations and some of the larger charter operators, interesting NZ international airliner movements and photos I have taken around the country. Comments, corrections or contributions are welcome, Steve - westland831@gmail.com
They were the days before the ATR72/Q300 invasion. It wont happen now.
ReplyDeleteFrequency for business travellers, which is the airlines core market is far more important.
DeleteOperating economics of jets means most sectors are too short in NZ anyway. Boarding and disembarking times negate any advantages in speed.
NPE-CHC is the only sector from NPE that would really gain any advantage from the additional speed. However it can only support two returns a day flown by ATRs so domestic jets from there is dream world.
If it wasn't for the "invasion", people like you would now be catching the bus.
DeleteAeroplanes are the bus of today... It is surely the most popular form of long distance travel in New Zealand
DeleteActually Napier to Christchurch is 3 ATRs per day now. But 20 years ago was just one 737 a day.
ReplyDeleteOne flight would be hopeless. Needs to be at least two on peak business days. A320 too large.
DeleteDUD-WLG frequency has been reduced in favour of 3 A320 returns a day with no turboprops. But that's what that market wanted. It seems to be going well and the reduced flying time over the longer distance is great.
The ATRs into DUD now exclusively fly the CHC route 7 returns a day. Air Nelson no longer visit DUD.
There is going to be more ATR services between major regional centres, as Air NZ starts to reduce the Q300 fleet, most likely from 2018 onwards. Once TIM goes, then we know that the older Q300's are being withdrawn.
DeleteIsn't the A320 WLG/DUD services part of the AKL/WLG/DUD routing?
Dunedin still sees the Q300 CHC-DUD-CHC, but only on a Sunday.
DeleteIt was great seeing the 737 in HLZ, ROT, IVC, PMR and NPE!
I recall when NZ did a tourist rotation with a 737 through AKL-ROT-CHC-ZQN. I did think a 737 to NPE was overkill and the uproar in IVC when the 737 was withdrawn there.
DeleteThere are 3 daily non stop AKL-DUD and 3 daily non stop WLG-DUD. Unsure if the WLG sector is also sold as a through option.
DeleteIt would appear Kris you know more about Air Nelson's operations than Air NZ.
DeleteThere is absolutely no intention of reducing the Q300 fleet what so ever. If anything the current plan appears to be in extending its useful life well beyond 2030. The smaller growing routes will continue and frequencies increased accordingly to reflect demand, freed up by new ATRs, alongside off peak main regional centre flying and increased charter work will see the 23 strong fleet busy for well into the next decade.
The remaining fleet yet to be painted will commence again later in the year.
Timaru's terminal is receiving a much needed refresh and the route continues to gain traction. These comments are damaging to the long term prospects of forward bookings on the route. When passengers hear there may be some doubt, this translates directly into a lack of bookings.
There are hundreds of staff working for Air Nelson spread across the country. These damming comments about their future has potential to impact on morale and career outlook which are simply not true.
Now you know how the Eagle staff felt.
DeleteTrue, however the Eagle operation was completely unviable. From both a business and customer point of view it had had its day.
DeleteCustomers didn't want to pay what it costed to run the services or endure that style of air travel at that price point anymore.
The airline couldn't continue operating a loss making business which in some cases was actually holding some cities back in regard to growth. Like Northland and Gisborne for example.
Most people close to the operation knew it had limited time to live and no alternate solution. Which was sad because it was a great little airline with some really awesome staff. Most of which elected to peruse other roles within the group.
Air Nelson is completely different.
There's nothing wrong with its business, it's absolutely viable. It has scale and an appropriately sized aircraft for lower density routes and charter work. It is flying more than 2.3 million passengers a year now across 19 cities.
I was wondering when somebody involved or has in depth knowledge of Air Nelson was going to respond. The way that Air NZ's business model is heading to be a lean machine by keeping costs down, I thought it would more economical to operate one aircraft type on regional routes namely ATR72/42 for mix n match route growth and demands, to keep spares, engineering and training costs down as oppose to operating 2 aircraft types as at present, especially if one of those types is out of production. Air NZ has a good reputation for engineering standards, so selling older well maintained Q300's to the global market would be a good return on investment. As mentioned previously, in aircraft type across both Air Nelson and Mt Cook would more sensible to keep airfares done, to slow JQ regional expansion.
Delete"I was wondering when somebody involved or has in depth knowledge of Air Nelson was going to respond"
DeleteBased on your own inaccurate, and grammatically incorrect, posts, anybody would think that person is you.
Where do you get your information from?
For Jimmy - I am not involved in Air Nelson.
DeleteWith regard to your comment 'Where do you get your information from' it doesn't take a rocket scientist to see where the airline is heading.
The information concerning Air NZ business model is available through the media, Air NZ's own website plus the comments from Air NZ's CEO to be a cost effective airline to compete in a rapidly competitive market to/from NZ and within NZ. This is seen by the airline's policy for an all A320/A321 fleet for domestic and international short haul services, the replacing ATR72-500's with 600's, are classic signs that the airline is keeping its costs down.
Since the first Q300 was delivered to Air Nelson in 2006 and as any aircraft engineer knows, as an aircraft ages, the maintenance costs go up. Since the Q300 is no longer in production, if Air NZ starts phasing out the Q300, there is a good market for well maintained aircraft to international Q300 operators.
Often surprises me how ROT lost the jets given the tourist traffic to CHC. and when QF left domestic JQ didn't take over.
ReplyDeleteAt the time they said Rotorua Airport could not fit the larger A320. So Jetstar did not take it over the only route from Qantas domestic 737 network.
ReplyDeleteA jet will return to ROT in good time mark my words ROT-ZQN.
ReplyDeleteAs for Nelson going, highly doubtful. More likely a common (single) AOC with 2 aircraft types (similar to jet format). There is a reason airnz hasn't gone to a pure single type of jet. Same reasons for the turboprop.
Common rating between the 2 types for flight attendants and streamlined management structure, the rest will be left alone.