Partenavia bows out of airline service

Barrier Air's Partenavia P68B ZK-PLA has been withdrawn from service marking the end of Partenavias being used on regular air services in New Zealand.

PLA has been used on regular services to Great Barrier Airline since 1984. It was registered to the Auckland Aero Club for use on its commercial operation, New Zealand Air Charter in January 1984, just six months before the company withdrew its Great Barrier Services on the 1st of July 1984.

Partenavia P68 ZK-PLA with New Zealand Air Charter at Christchurch on 23 December 1984

A couple of years later PLA was with Motor Holdings as seen photographed at West Melton on 28 March 1987.

It then returned to Auckland where it saw charter work with Waitemata Air Services, the commercial arm of the Waitemata Aero Club as seen at Hokitika on 28 October 1989...

...as well as with Hibiscus Air as seen at Ardmore on 24 January 1992

PLA returned to flying scheduled services between the Coromandel Peninsula and Auckland with Air Coromandel as seen at Whitianga on 30 August 1993...

...and with Great Barrier Airlines where it was used for courier freight work as well as regular services to Great Barrier Island as seen at Auckland (above) on 9 October 1999 and North Shore (below) on 29 March 2011.

PLA's last operator was the successor to Great Barrier Airlines, Barrier Air as seen here at North Shore on 10 January 2016 

I never managed to get a flight in a Partenavia despite them having been used on regular services by a surprising number of operators as follows;

Air National using ZK-PFT
http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.co.nz/2011/07/experience-difference-air-nationals.html

Air North Shore using ZK-ERA
http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.co.nz/2012/01/north-shore-aero-clubs-barrier-service.html

Ardmore Air Charter using ZK-LAL
http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.co.nz/2011/09/ardmore-air-charter-simply-best-way-to.html

Barrier Air using ZK-PLA
http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.co.nz/2015/08/barrier-air-new-name-to-barrier-and.html

Buckley Air using ZK-SMB
http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.co.nz/2010/08/last-flight-to-tokoroa-buckley-air.html

East Air using ZK-NMK
http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.co.nz/2012/04/east-air-people-not-places.html

Great Barrier Airlines using ZK-DMA, ZK-ERA, ZK-LAL and ZK-PLA
http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.co.nz/2015/05/the-barrier-connection-great-barrier.html

New Zealand Air Charter using ZK-ERA, ZK-LAL and ZK-PLA
http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.co.nz/2011/10/great-barrier-islands-professional-aero.html
http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.co.nz/2012/11/nz-air-charters-northen-air-service_25.html

Northern Air using ZK-DMA, ZK-ERA, ZK-FUZ and ZK-LAL
http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.co.nz/2011/07/economic-and-efficient-travel-northern.html

Parakai Aviation using ZK-PFT
http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.co.nz/2011/11/helensville-great-barrier-island.html

Soundsair using ZK-LAL
http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.co.nz/2014/08/soundsair-well-have-you-across-cook.html

Southern Cross Airways using ZK-NMK
http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.co.nz/2010/03/southern-cross-airways-looking-back-25.html

Sunair using ZK-LGO and ZK-ZSP
http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.co.nz/2011/02/sunair-still-shining-25-years-on.html

Trans Island Air using ZK-PFT
http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.co.nz/2011/12/trans-island-air-quietest-quickest-way.html

United Pacific Airways using ZK-ERA
http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.co.nz/2012/07/united-pacific-airline-that-fits-your.html

Wairarapa Airlines using ZK-LAL
http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.co.nz/2010/11/wairarapa-airlines-revisited.html