27 November 2020

Great news for Kaitaia!

 

This just put up on the Barrier Air website...


Hey Kaitaia! Barrier Air is excited to announce we will be bringing back our additional 0650 departure from Kaitaia and our 1815 Auckland - Kaitaia services from the 21st DECEMBER (except Tuesdays and Saturdays)
We are excited to bring our KAITAIA schedule back to near pre Covid 19 Levels with 22 Sectors per week!!! If a flight is full, let us know and we can assess putting on a second aircraft for your group!


Given all the interest in a new route for Air Chathams, if you were Barrier Air what new route(s) would you suggest and why?


9 comments:

  1. I have one question for all of you...

    If Air NZ's situation became dyer or it did decide covid or not... to have another restructuring with it's current domestic routes...
    How would you feel if our current 3rd level airlines made more of a presence at our local airport.
    The likes of Sounds air, Air Chats, Origin, Barrier and others... Being the main airline operating out of an airport near you along with their current and amazing tract record in customer service and a very unique and family feel that the have.
    As long as there was a comprehensive interline agreement with Air NZ and amongst themselves... Even an connection with one of the major 'global alliances..'
    How possible in our current world if Air NZ did decide on calling it on a number of its routes... Having a more local/community feel from one of these smaller airlines calling into your local airport and almost knowing you by name (I am not too sure just how accurate this is with the regulars fliers of Sounds, Barrier and Chats....)
    There is my favourite memories of seeing the colours of aviation in 90's and seeing Ansett, Air NZ and Mount Cook at my airport Rotorua vs the current reality and possible reality, our world regarding alliances and booking through one alliance on may airlines all the way through...
    Could we have a, I don't know... Aotearoa alliance or something along those lines...
    Book a flight with Barrier from Kaitai through to Invercargill on one booking, Whakatane to Westport or New Plymouth to Wanaka.

    Just an idea in our current world from a NZ aviation airliner enthusiast.

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  2. But answering your question regarding Barrier...
    I would love to see more of them throughout NZ.... I was going to say that like Stewart Island air... They are very much pigeonholed being their geographical location and their bread and butter with servicing the Barrier..... But like Air Chats has become, emerging from that very pigeon hole and their bread and butter to becoming an regional and literally a global airliner (Norfolk)
    I feel the structure and how the airliner is now being run. I feel Barrier and with some savy but calculated ideas vs some not so, with it's main rival... Hobbiton or Whangarei anyone???
    The Northland region is a very limited one with population and airports, Air NZ having that region pretty much wrapped up...
    Connection with the Coromandel to Ardmore/Auckland airport or even trying a connection with Hamilton and BOP through to North Shore airport and a very competitive price structure to match and I mean comparing it with those who tried and the likes of Sun Air etc with airfares far beyond an average joe blog, let alone a family..
    North Shore or Ardmore to a big center could be something under the radar like Hastings, and you could operate out of almost anything with the Caravans... You are not limited to a 1400 meter tarmac runway...
    Then it is a case of... That route is going very well... If we employ a bigger aircraft that can safely operate out of that particular airport... Or we jump on board with that electric aircraft Sounds were looking at, of some of those new designs coming out...
    I feel with its very well run management... Barrier Air could become that Air Chats an emerge from just an island airliner to something more comprehensive.. It's just about making use of it's current geographical location and maybe jumping in on routes before the likes of Sounds or Air Chats...
    Kaikohe, Wellsford and dargaville has areodromes... Population support hmmm... People leaving Auckland to find cheaper houses... Then you have a potential case.. But roading is very good.
    I feel that North shore and Ardmore connecting up to the Waikato/BOP could be a hidden gem, buying a PC12 and operating out of Hastings could even more be a hidden gem.. Barrier Air AKl/Ardmor/North Shore-HAS-WEL or Akl-HAS-NEL...

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    Replies
    1. I agree Fraser... ZNE to HLZ or TRG might work... the market... AKL business people who live on the North Shore wanting to do business in TRG or HLZ and not battle Auckland traffic. BUT I think it would only work morning south afternoon north leaving the aircraft at HLZ or TRG all day

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    2. Agree Steve but with 2 conjoined riders. I struggle to see given the heavy TRG and Whakatane - AKL morning business traffic to AKL with Air NZ and Chats why the same should not work for TRG - ZNE given the considerable amount of business on the North Shore. One assumes that a proportion of that traffic is destined for the North Shore anyway through AKL rush hour traffic. The conjoint issue though is the lack of infrastructure for incoming passengers at ZNE - taxis, rental cars, public transport to get them to and from the airport/North Shore CBD.

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    3. I'm just going by the amount of traffic crossing the bridge. Totally agree there needs to be some infrastructure in terms of taxis or rental cars to make ZNE a suitable "destination". Remember North Shore Air... they tried it didn't work. Salt Air had the bus service down the busway to the AKL CBD which helped their run but they were marketing a service to AKL CBD. Marketing is key. Barrier Air have a reputation of being a real professional reliable airline to GBZ and KAT but they need to establish that at any new destination in the same way Sounds Air and Air Chats have had to do the same for each of their new destinations. When the locals try it they get sold... Great to see 3 strong regional airlines

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  3. I think that the next area that is ripe for regional airlines is Hamilton. As far as I can tell Hamilton only has regular flights to Wellington and Christchurch. This excludes Originair based on reports on this blog that their flights are down to three days a week I would have thought that a properly researched and promoted route between places such as New Plymouth. Palmerston North and Hawke's Bay or possibly Gisborne to Hamilton would be viable with the right aircraft.

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    Replies
    1. HLZ-PMR most definitely... BUT is the C208B a suitable machine. For that route at business times the aircraft needs to be pressurised and I would say a 30 seater. HLZ-NPL unlikely, but a well marketed HLZ-GIS could work. I'm surprised that HLZ-NPE has never worked. Again, I think it is about marketing and a quality aircraft

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  4. I think a properly marketed AKL-WTZ would do quite well. I know a few have tried, and Sunair still operates through WTZ. But Barrier Air definitely has brand recognition, and I think people would opt for a 30min flight then a long drive on very poor and slow roads. WTZ is definitely getting a substantial population, and if flights were timed right, you could definitely see some people moving permanent to the Coromandel and then flying off to Auckland when needed for a days business. Barrier Air are no slouches, they have built themselves a decent wee airline with a respectable fleet.

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    1. I think an evening AKL-WTZ and morning WTZ-AKL could work... I see there is an IFR approach to WTZ... All previous air services to WTZ have been VFR. And I agree it has to be well marketed. In the past WTZ was more a summer destination but as you say now there is a more stable permanent population. Barrier Air also seem to operate with a realistic fare structure. It would certainly be a case of needing to establish a service and making it convenient for WTZ folk.

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