Today Air New Zealand ended its flights between Paraparaumu and Christchurch. Bombardier Q300 ZK-NEK flew both the northbound, NZ8488, and southbound services, NZ8483.
The flights between the Kapiti Coast and Christchurch began in on the 4th of November 2013 with the first southbound flight operated by Air Nelson's Bombardier Q300 ZK-NEO and ZK-NEF flying the first northbound service.
From this week Air New Zealand will operate two return Auckland-Paraparaumu services on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays with three return flights on Thursdays and Fridays. On Saturdays there is one northbound service and two southbound while on Sundays there are two northbound and three southbound services.
No one has indicated any desire to pick up the Christchurch-Paraparaumu route which is interesting given the impression I heard was that it was generating Saab like loads. Air New Zealand's withdrawal might spark a warning to those routes who are only to get one to two Q300 flights a day from later in the year!
Guess Jetstar could eye this up as a back route into the South Island...Especially if rumours of another handful of Q300 s are to cross the ditch.
ReplyDeleteThey already fly 2 different routes to the south island.
DeleteRationalisation of the Dash fleet to better prepare themselves against JQ.
Oportunity for KRA? They could vhhalso compete on the NSN-CHC route. Weekday morning PPQ-CHC-NSN. Midday NSN-CHC return. Afternoon/evening NSN-CHC-PPQ. Saturday late morning PPQ-CHC-NSN-CHC. Sunday afternoon CHC-NSN-CHC-PPQ.
ReplyDeleteAlso*
DeleteKra have already said they are not interested in competing with airnz. The lesuire market for ppq will drive to wlg for cheaper fares. Was there really a business market?
ReplyDeleteThere is not the many businesses on the Kapiti Coast (Papaparaumu, etc) to warrant business travel. Its mainly leisure, as the population in the region is retirees and families.
ReplyDeleteIf there is any business travel it would be PPQ/AKL.
Since the Wellington regional rail network has been upgraded and is now electrified to Waikanae, it easy to get into WLG by train and take the Airport Flyer bus from the station to WLG airport, for flights to NSN/CHC/DUD/ZQN/IVC.
If PPQ/CHC has Saab like loadings, KRA could look at either HLZ/PPQ/CHC or TRG/PPQ/CHC which wouldn't be competing with Air NZ.
TRG and BOP region has a large leisure catchment and HLZ is NZ's 4th largest city, so it could work as leisure or friends & family travel.
Kris is spot on.
DeleteThe lack of infrastructure for business traffic is also evident at PPQ. No major rental car providers make it difficult and reinforces the fact that it's a leisure market of pick up and drop off.
The rail trip is excellent to WLG and well supported.
Loads to AKL are great and connect the region to the international hub.
CHC loads were low yeild but a Saab from kiwi would work perfectly, and because the aircraft would be acquired specifically for that market, they could tailor a schedule to best suit the needs of the key stakeholders and people who would frequently use it
The business traffic into and out of Paraparaumu is for business people who live on the Kapiti Coast... and there are lots of them given the commuter trains and traffic. An hour on the train to Wellington and then wait for a bus to the airport and take the bus to the airport is a hassle. The PPQ-CHC certainly didn't cater for business traffic so whether there is a demand remains to be seen.
DeleteI was on the first AKL-PPQ and sat next to a woman who had just flown in the States. She was delighted at not having to go via WLG and either get stuck in traffic or do the bus/train routine.
PPQ in my opinion will only grow and would an interesting destination to Kiwi. Kris' idea of HLZ-PPQ or TRG-PPQ is interesting... I would certainly use HLZ-PPQ occasionally to catch up on friends on the Kapiti Coast
The timings of these flights were never aimed at the business market... I never flew PPQ-CHC, but am a regular AKL-PPQ flyer. Will be grateful for the extra flight on Thurs/Fri. Hopefully someone will pick it up..
ReplyDeleteNext problem to solve, does the 340a have the performance for ppq?
ReplyDeleteThey've certainly had a fair few dramas in Nelson over incredibly hot summer afternoons, passengers being offloaded, arms flying security called in.
DeleteSaabs in NZ isn't a new concept, they've got people in kiwi who've worked with Saabs in NZ in the past, they should know the restrictions the aircraft comes with