Today, Air Chathams ATR 72-500 ZK-MCU departed Auckland to cross the Tasman to Brisbane. Presumably the Aircraft has been sold to an overseas buyer. Air Chathams announced back in June that it was to sell its fleet of ATR aircraft that serves it Chatham Island operations, in favour of operating 2 x Saab 340 aircraft (passenger and freighter)
Arriving in 2000, ZK-MCU joined the Mount Cook Airlines fleet and faithfully served Regional New Zealand for nearly 2 decades, before the ATR 72-500 series fleet was withdrawn in favour of the newer 600 series aircraft. In May 2022, ZK-MCU entered the Air Chathams fleet, joining ZK-MCO which the airline purchased from Air New Zealand in February 2019.
ZK-MCO is still active in the Air Chathams fleet and has been busy of late doing Charters. The Chatham Islands have moved to its new Saab schedule of 2 x weekly flights to Christchurch, 3 x to Wellington, and 1-2 x to Auckland. Saab 340B ZK-CIZ has been operating passenger services, and Saab 340AF ZK-CIW has been operating Freight Flights. I see some further ATR 72 flights between Auckland and the Chathams are scheduled throughout the summer months.
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| Air Chathams ATR 72-500 ZK-MCU at Chatham Island/Tuuta Airport on July 27th 2023. Photo: Liam Fullerton |
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