With Fly My Sky's demise Barrier Air has become the major airline serving Great Barrier Island. Over the years 29 operators have flown regular services to Great Barrier Island, see http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.com/2011/06/air-services-to-great-barrier-airline.html. Barrier Air now becomes the main player with Sunair offering connections to Whangarei, Whitianga, Hamilton and Tauranga and Air Auckland offering an air taxi service to Ardmore.
The first regular service from Auckland was operated by amphibians. This was supplemented by an aero club service. Great Barrier Airlines' entry onto the route developed a more airline-like service along with Mountain Air/Fly My Sky. These airlines changed Great Barrier Island's accessibility and developed the tourist/tramper market but they were using older piston engined aircraft. Barrier Air, however, has really developed the service to the highest level of professional standards with a fleet reequipment and being Part 125 accredited and certified by the NZ Civil Aviation Authority. You can get some idea of what is involved here... https://www.aviation.govt.nz/rules/rule-part/show/125
Going ahead, keeping the trust of the locals will be important. Already, a couple of locals have commented in the previous post of what they would like that to look like... As Barrier Air will have a monopoly it will need to keeping the fares reasonable and affordable for the locals. But, on the other hand, I would say the locals also need to be realistic about the cost of investment in equipment Barrier Air has made in having three turbo prop Cessna Grand Caravans with state of art navigation equipment. Fly My Sky's oldest was 50 years old last year! Barrier Air will need to look at further investment to pick up the slack. Locals also have to be cognisant of the costs the airline has, especially operating into a major international airport. The locals also want to keep a family feel. With Barrier Air having up to a large number of departures a day during the summer (21 on one day) that's not easy but it is something for the airline to think about. And the other thing the locals have to think about, is having the infrastructure and equipment for all year around. Yes, the airline is busy during the summer but a lot quieter during the winter and that means a lot of expensive equipment not earning its keep and when the loads during the lean winter months are shared by two airlines this puts both airlines into financial jeopardy. Barrier Air won't have that pressure now as it faces the challenge and adjusts in the next few months to being the only airline flying between Auckland and Great Barrier Island
And speaking of in the next few months, Barrier Air were flying over to Whitianga today ahead of the new service starting on the 16th of December. It certainly looks exciting times ahead for Barrier Air.
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| From Barrier Air's webpage on 1 July 2021 |
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| And here is ZK-SDC at Whitianga. Photo : The Mercury Bay Informer |
Those are actually all very important questions that have been asked and you have somewhat answered.
ReplyDeleteThat very fine line of offering a fair airfare, knowing it's just you and no-one else competing with you... Being mindful that any price increase, no matter how genuinely honest you are, being open and transparent regarding general increases in overheads no matter how much you explain to your customers....
The fact that you are operating out of one of the most busiest airports in Oceania/Australasia and the many cost's reflective of that..
The potential as armchair/plane spotters and lovers of these small airlines... The excitement of new aircraft is now a very likely happening now that Great Barrier is essentially down four aircraft albeit 9 times four = 26 seats/ 52 seats return not to mention freight there will be costs involved with buying these new aircraft...
It is a sad day to hear that another one has bit the dust.. But an exciting road ahead for Barrier Air...
Like I have said...
Barrier Air is like THE textbook example of how a small little airline went from this hacked miss-managed mix-fleet of crap (I mean.. I love planes but the reality for the unknowing customers who give two @#$ about what they are flying but to the point... how they are going to get there and "Serious?!" "In that piece of junk!!")
New management, To make such a gamble, basically cutting your fleet down from 15 (slight exaggeration) clapped out/unreliable aircraft to just one modern brand new state of the art aircraft, operating two to three routes a day and realize just how effective one modern aircraft is and the difference it makes and to then slowly (I mean it was quite fast really) build it to a fleet of three brand new aircraft...
Then actually (Origin take note) Research, ask and offer a community a service that they want!!! (Whitianga/Kaitia)
Ask the community what they think. I mean business 101 "What do you, the customer want...?"
Offer something for the community to ask for some adjustments and for the airline to not only listen and say thank you " I mean... Actually thank the community, The actual customers who will be funding this new venture.. Just read all of the comments regarding the new announcement on facebook and everyone saying... Oh brilliant.. could you make it 30 mins earlier and for Barrier to take the time and not only reply to each and every one on Facebook but to acknowledged and to then announce a update that due to community "demand" we would like to thank all the feedback and offer earlier flights... Not too early as due to x y and z (Lights)
This airline has gone from a miss managed airline that had some serious issues with fleets and not to mention those incidents regarding those aircraft (Propeller coming off etc) to a very well run professionally managed airline that gambled with basically cutting a fleet right down to one, slowly built up and invested in a fleet of new modern aircraft and this is the result...
Where you are now offering a good price structure, offering a a relatively frequent daily schedule to each of the destinations you are flying to. I am sure Whitianga will be slowly grown to what is proposed... I feel that there is potential with this new route and yeah I feel that Barrier is well and truly on the rise...
Might very well be new aircraft additions to the current fleet very soon!!!
Unless you were actually involved with GBA historically, making an accusation that the airline was 'mismanaged' is a little unfair. Some of the points you raise are valid, but the various ops managers and others most of whom are still in the industry with other airlines now did what they could with the company. CAA don't hand out AOC's easily.
DeleteThe reality is as you mention was the change of ownership, coupled with significant cash injection, ability to lease, mortgage etc allowed the C208 operation to start, and now flourish.
You are entitled to your opinion however, but think of all of the individuals who simply did there best.
So, if there was a bit of slack with the folding of Flymysky, which would possibly require an extra C208 or two....
ReplyDeleteIf Barrier got an extra addition or two...
With a bit of downtime/reduced capacity due to season etc..
Would Barrier Air seriously look towards increasing it's network??
So guys...
Two serious contenders for new destination...
Matamata
Thames
Matamata...
Flymysky operated this route not too long ago (Those good ole pre covid days of international tourists) the Hobbiton attraction was the draw card... Purely R&R tourism... What if a 'professional' airline "such as Barrier Air" that catered primarily for the business market but with reasonable 'booked in advanced' airfares for the likes of visiting family/R&R were on the table... Matamata with the huge farming/agricultural background and the huge amount of money within this community not to mention the horse sector.. Matamata community has a lot of money and wealth. There would be a number of which who would commute to Auckland for business and a number who has family living there, there is potentially freight opportunities with various perishable items that Matamata produce within the agricultural sector.. There is potential within this area as a whole... To service a direct service to Auckland.... The closest center that operates direct flights to Auckland.. Rotorua and Tauranga...
Thames
With this exciting prospect of the Coromandel in the form of Whitianga getting being linked up with the rest of NZ with a professionally run airline offering fares that the average "joe blog" can afford... The amount of Aucklanders that commute/live/holiday on the western side of the peninsular.. I really see potential with a service with the Caravan to the local airport. There are a number of business men and women who live there now and commute to Auckland on a daily basis where a air service could be economically viable with the odd amount of R&R patronage to supplement the running especially during the Summer/holiday months.. Also for the greater region as a whole.. There is potential for an aircraft to offer flights during spare capacity within the fleet when another aircraft is required to fill the void with the closure of Flymysky..
North Shore, Hamilton and Ardmore airports...
Two forgotten airfields that offer an alternative to the hustle and bustle of one of Australasia's most busiest airports and with populations that could support an alternative airport/service... One wonders if these airfields/Airports could be reintroduced/grown and be seen as an alternative for a prop airline as Barrier Air to reduce overheads and offer an cheap/alternative option to Auckland Airport and North Shore being a growing area and the times involved with commuting to Auckland Airport.. Could Barrier offer an alternative out of North Shore to Auckland airport and almost create a hub out of that airfield... Could they get something of the likes of a PC-12 with a business approach and offer flights to anywhere in the North Island as a direct flight from the North Shore.... Rotorua, Wellington, Tauranga and everywhere else...
Then with Hamilton...
Is there a demand for commuters who do business in Auckland that still want that flight option or even those who regularly do business overseas who miss that direct flight to Auckland airport...
For a true third level airline that is Barrier Air, who has limit options available to grow as apposed to Air Chats and Sounds Air who have sizable communities to fly to... There are some serious options available to fly to with the aircraft on offer in the form of the C208.. There is so much potential to open up and offer for this Hauraki/Barrier/Coromandel airline
Really! What colour is the sky in the world you live in? I can tell you here on planet earth it is blue! NONE of those destinations make business sense.
ReplyDelete