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A brand spanking new Cessna 208B Grand Caravan dropped in at Kaitaia airport yesterday, as a forerunner to the daily Kaitaia/Auckland/Kaitaia service Great Barrier Airlines will launch next week. The airline will make its first flight on Wednesday, the day after Air New Zealand takes off for the last time. Four small airlines offered to fill the gap left by Air New Zealand's departure, the Far North District Council deciding on Great Barrier, which would operate a smaller plane than Eagle Air's but was promising a much improved timetable. Kaitaia's business and tourism communities welcomed the news, particularly because the new service would offer three flights a day, the first departing at 7.30am. One of the gripes about Air NZ was that the morning flight left too late, forcing business people to fly from Kerikeri if they wanted a full day in Auckland. Great Barrier Airlines chief executive Mark Roberts said the company was buying a 12-seater Cessna Grand Caravan from Australia for the Kaitaia route, with a nine-seat Piper Chieftain serving as back-up until a second Caravan arrived. The Caravan that landed yesterday, to a small reception from local business people who shouted bubbly from a chilly bin, was a brand new one that Great Barrier Airlines general manager Murray Pope said was making a "promotional trip." "Cessna is showing us what a good plane it's got, and were showing Kaitaia what they will be flying in," he said. The single-engine Grand Caravan was wider than the plane Kaitaia folk were used to, a company spokesman added, while all things being equal the flight to Auckland would take a few minutes longer than with Air NZ. Great Barrier Airlines chief executive Mark Roberts said the company would start with a flat fare of $180 each way, rather than the complicated fare structure offered by Air NZ. Children aged 2 to 12 would pay $108, while infants would travel free. Weekday flights will leave Auckland for Kaitaia at 6am, 12.30pm and 5.30pm, and depart Kaitaia at 7.30am, 2pm and 7pm. Weekend flights will depart Auckland at 9.30am and 5pm, and Kaitaia at 11am and 6.30pm. Once the service starts bookings will be available via www.greatbarrierairlines.co.nz
Source : Northland Age, 21 April 2015
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| The Cessna 208B Grand Caravan EX N588EX which visited Kaitaia upon its arrival into Auckland on 19 April 2015 |
Looking forward to seeing this service up and running and I wish the operators all the best - will be great to see the Caravan in full Great Barrier colours. Wonder how much traffic will fly on the 6:00am service to Kaitaia or the 7:00pm return flight though?
ReplyDeleteI think the 6.00am will be a dud... I think a better schedule would be dep KAT @ 0700, Dep AKL @ 0830, Dep KAT @ 1000, Great Barrier Island flights in middle of day, Dep AKL @ 1530, Dep KAT @ 1700, Dep AKL at 1830.
DeleteHmmm, Australian one hasn't arrived yet. Perhaps they will lease Air2There's ZK-MYH to get the ball rolling.
ReplyDeleteN588EX visited Sunair 21 April flying Auckland-Tauranga-Napier and 22 April flew Napier-Paraparaumu-Blenheim. It was planned to Woodbourne but potentially to Omaka?
Sounds Air PC12 ZK-PLS has been in/out of Taupo a couple of times recently - are they pending an announcement for that run?
PLS has also been to Masterton!
DeleteIndeed it has, just training or adding fuel to the fire of a potential air service??!!
DeleteYeah, well I wish these guys well and it will be good to see the service. As a leisure and pleasure traveller these days, my KTA/AKL flying will be limited at that fare.
ReplyDeleteN588EX did operate to Omaka yesterday and has this morning departed for Wanaka.
ReplyDelete