2 more Saabs for Air Chathams

Below is an article from the Wanganui Midweek... but the key sentences in terms of fleet expansion are...  

The company has recently bought two more to add to the fleet... From a company point of view we've invested in another two Saab aircraft so we'll be looking at using those to further support Whanganui and also develop another route regionally in New Zealand as well as the charter services marketed out of Auckland.  

Local women Brittany Jones and Kaylee Morrison recently started employment as flight attendants for Air Chathams flights between Whanganui and Auckland. "I wanted to get back into the industry and this is perfect," says Brittany. "I have a young one — daughter Sienna — and this means I'll be home each night for her." Three years ago Brittany studied tourism and flight attending so she was prepared when this job was advertised. Brittany and Kaylee were sent to Auckland in September for two weeks' training with two other women based in Auckland. They stayed in the Air Chathams crew house from Monday to Friday. After that they had to complete two more weeks' in-flight training in which they learned operational and emergency procedures. There is also an interview process in which the women had to answer questions about Civil Aviation rules and everything a flight attendant needs to know. Brittany has been flying since November and Kaylee passed her ACA exam last week. "I'm qualified to be a flight attendant on my own now," says Kaylee. "There's a lot to learn but I absolutely love it. Air Chathams is such a great company and I feel blessed I am able to work for them. It's so cool that I can be based here in Whanganui. "I think it's awesome to have local girls because I've noticed I know a lot of people [passengers] on the flights, being a small town. And they just love it too. I feel people get excited when they know the flight attendant." Kaylee feels Air Chathams is such a friendly, personable airline and it works well with a couple of Whanganui women on the flights. Brittany, too, says it's so friendly and she enjoys "hanging out" at the office in Auckland when there's a wait before flying home. "At this stage we are both working at least two shifts a week," says Kaylee. The rest of the time she works at Mud Ducks Cafe while Brittany works in retail at The Burrow. Brittany and Kaylee are not the only Air Chathams staff based in Whanganui. "We've actually had a few move down there," says Air Chathams general manager Duane Emeny. "A couple of our flight crew now commute out of Whanganui and we've got our chief engineer moving to Marton to commute out of Whanganui." The airline has a Saab 340 aircraft which is predominantly used on the Auckland to Whanganui schedule, and Duane says the company has recently bought two more to add to the fleet. "We're very happy with how Whanganui is trending," says Duane. "A lot of work went into the early stages and there was some cost involved, but we've really turned a corner in terms of acceptance of the Saab 340. People really enjoy travelling on that aircraft. From a company point of view we've invested in another two Saab aircraft so we'll be looking at using those to further support Whanganui and also develop another route regionally in New Zealand as well as the charter services marketed out of Auckland. "It's good, positive growth, so we're happy with it. "We're very keen to support local. That's what we've always been about. Brittany and Kaylee have both come through their training really well so they can spend time in the aircraft now, build their experience and go from there.

Source : Wanganui Midweek, 20 December 2017