Speaking with AIN at the recent Caribbean Aviation Meetup conference in Sint Maarten and in subsequent e-mails, Sounds Air managing director and majority shareholder Andrew Crawford said the carrier now operates up to 22 PC-12 round trips a week on the Blenheim-Christchurch route as a result of the road closure. Crawford added that the closure generates more traffic demand for Sounds Air beyond even today’s increased schedule and noted that the main road between the two cities will remain closed for more than a year to come. According to Crawford, Sounds Air is looking for larger aircraft to meet the extra Blenheim-Christchurch demand and also to benefit from what he said is a forthcoming move by Air New Zealand regional subsidiary Air Nelson to end services with 50-seat turboprops at some New Zealand destinations. “We are looking at Beech 1900Ds and potentially Saab 340Bs as the two options that are potentially viable,” he explained.
For the full article see : https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/air-transport/2017-07-25/quake-damage-drives-sounds-airs-search-larger-aircraft
Timaru / Hokitika?? :/
ReplyDeleteI fly from Timaru frequently. Those Q300's are often sold out or near to. So convenient, love it.
DeleteAlso fly often, the early morning flight has been regularly close to or are full. Will be great once the upgraded terminal is up and running.
DeleteIt's nice seeing SAAB's slowly creeping back into the aviation space in NZ. Shame there isn't enough global demand to begin producing new SAAB's as well, as the airframes of the existing aircraft aren't getting any younger.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if Soundsair is looking at getting some of the surplus 1900D's from Air NZ?
ReplyDeleteI think the Saab's are to big for them to operate but if they are looking at them, they would be probably lease a couple from REX is Australia.
I seems that Soundsair is going to be a major 2nd level regional carrier if they are looking at 19-30 seater aircraft.
All the 1900s have left the country...
ReplyDeleteI think the Saab is pretty big too... A wonder what happens to the CHC-BHE route when the road reopens... which I understand is still going to be around Christmas...
I would love to see an Embraer Brasilia flying in NZ but that would be first of type so expensive to bring in
The demand will go back down to PC12 size once the road is re-opened. If only there was a slightly larger version of that aircraft that could carry the limit for single pilot ops.
DeleteThat's true Steve but there's quite a few in Australia with unmarked registrations just sitting in the desert and hangers
DeleteI wonder if Mr Crawford has been misquoted in parts of the article. SH1 for example is on track to reopen by Christmas; it isn't going to be closed "for more than a year to come."
ReplyDeleteAs for Air Nelson leaving destinations, that is at best a hypothesis on his part. Concrete information about route changes are going to be known to senior managers and very few else. Information might be shared to 3rd parties prior to an official announcement but such information would only be shared on the condition it is confidential and embargoed until the public release date. Basically, if he knows anything firm, he couldn't possible talk about it.
It's business as usual for Air NZ Link.
DeleteAll current routes are growing and even over winter numbers have stayed high.
The ex eagle routes are on some days sold out using the 50 seater, so it would appear the formula is right.
Latest article about Timaru on stuff says Air NZ now fly more than 65,000 seats a year.
Soundsair are not happy today with Jetstar in Nelson: see https://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/news/95160331/battle-in-the-skies-sounds-air-chief-lashes-out-at-cheap-jetstar-fares
Delete"forthcoming move by Air New Zealand regional subsidiary Air Nelson to end services with 50-seat turboprops at some New Zealand destinations". Mr Crawford has spilled the beans some what with this comment. He should have kept it a secret as now rumours will start on which towns will loose flights. Also Air Nelson staff will be fearing potential job losses down the line. If it is the case the smaller towns like HKK and KKE may be the first ones to go.
ReplyDeleteCorrect Jarden.
DeleteThese kinds of comments directly effect consumer confidence and forward bookings take a tumble.
Hundreds of jobs at risk.
DeleteI guess most will have the opportunity to re-apply and start their lives again at Mount Cook - if successful.
It's speculation I believe. In the investors report, it said they have to opportunity to retire 23 Q300's from 2020 (or 2022, can't exactly remember from the top of my head) as none are tied to a lease.
DeleteCounted two empty seats on hoki-ch tonight. Would be mental to chop it.
DeleteThe sentence is ambiguous. Ending Dash services may equally mean that those unnamed airports will be served only by ATR aircraft - which is a much more likely development than withdrawing from any of the airports currently served.
DeleteThe quote is from Sounds Air, not Air NZ - Why have Air NZ painted most of the Q300s in the new scheme if they are going to ditch them? I suspect some are going to be replaced by ATRs to increase capacity on some routes and from what I understand all destinations are growing in traffic
ReplyDeleteMCA the original late 90's delivered ATR 500 series was painted in the new livery last year. Retired this month.
DeleteWhy did all the Eagle 1900's get shiny new paint and then retired..
DeleteThey didn't... none were repainted in the black scheme
DeleteWhat about this one :-)
Deletehttp://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.co.nz/2013/04/sun-bathing-in-westland.html
That's the crazy about rugby livery. Only 2 1900D's got painted in it in 2011 (ish) along with an ATR72-600 2 A320's and a 777-300. The rest of the Beech fleet remained in the Pacific Wave/Teal livery until retirement.
DeleteFair enough... but that was a promotional scheme before they went to the current scheme...
DeleteKapiti not going anywhere according to this: http://www2.nzherald.co.nz/kapiti-news/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503789&objectid=11896317
ReplyDeleteVery very good loadings into PPQ.
DeleteIt can only get busier as more make the move.
Locals are loving the convenience.
A simple early morning flight to chc and back again in the evening would be amazing.