Air New Zealand is suspending its service between Kapiti Coast and Auckland from April this year. Customer demand for domestic travel continues to experience steady growth with the airline adding 630,000 more seats nationwide this financial year alone and an expectation that it will further grow the regional turboprop network alone by 4.5 percent or 265,000 seats in the coming financial year. Against this backdrop, the airline is currently making domestic schedule adjustments to better match its aircraft seat capacity to areas of growing customer demand and is committed to continuing to grow the wider regional network. Air New Zealand has operated the Kapiti - Auckland service since 2011 and recognises the support the community has given to it. On withdrawal, Air New Zealand will extend support to any other airline that operates the route as it has in other ports. The last service between Kapiti Coast and Auckland will operate on 3 April 2018. Passengers booked to travel on this service past this date will be re-accommodated on alternative services.
Source : Air New Zealand Media Release, 9 March 2018
https://www.airnewzealand.co.nz/press-release-2018-air-nz-suspends-kapiti-coast-service
Air New Zealand Withdrawal Huge Loss For Kapiti
The suspension of Air New Zealand flights between Paraparaumu and Auckland will leave a large hole in the region's economy. Air New Zealand announced today their last flight from Paraparaumu will be 3 April 2018, just a week after the hugely successful Open Day at Kapiti Coast Airport where more than 1000 people visited to show their support for the daily flight service. “We are particularly disappointed with the airline’s decision, after the overwhelming show of community support last weekend. We have been working with the Kāpiti Coast District Council, the Porirua Chamber of Commerce and Air New Zealand since 2017 to build demand for the flights, in recognition of the vital role they play in regional economic growth,” says Heather Hutchings, Chair of the Kāpiti Coast Chamber of Commerce. “Collectively, we’ve been very open to doing what we can to build an enduring service, however doing this hasn't always been easy in the face if ongoing cancellations and delays - we hear and understand how frustrating this has been for travellers, who have continued to support the flights - especially business commuters. “We will now look to build Kapiti’s reputation as a tourism destination, to boost the local economy and support local businesses. We are already bringing together under the Chamber umbrella all the fantastic tourism operators in the region. Wairarapa has built an excellent offering, despite having no regional airport, and we will be looking at what has worked well to replace what the withdrawal of flights leaves behind’” says Heather Hutchings, Chair of the Kāpiti Coast Chamber of Commerce.
Source : Press Release: Kapiti Coast Chamber Of Commerce
Council working to attract new air services to Kāpiti
The Kāpiti Coast District Council will be working closely with Kāpiti Coast Airport Ltd to attract new air services to the Kāpiti Coast. This follows Air New Zealand’s decision to stop services between Paraparaumu and Auckland. Mayor K Gurunathan says that while the news is disappointing, Air New Zealand isn’t the only airline capable of running services out of the Kāpiti Coast Airport and conversations with other airlines are already happening. “Kāpiti is fast becoming a destination of choice for visitors and business alike. Our District’s share of regional and national tourism has been increasing by 10-15% year-on-year over the past three years. “Kāpiti is a great place to be. Kāpiti Island Nature Reserve and Kāpiti Marine Reserve continue to rate highly amongst national and international media. “We’re confident in the airport’s long term future. Last night I spoke with Evan Davies from airport owners Todd Property and it was heartening to hear him reinforce his company’s commitment to Kāpiti.” Mayor Gurunathan says the Kāpiti Coast Expressway projects, Transmission Gully, quality rail links and daily flights to and from Nelson and Blenheim, mean Kāpiti is connected and accessible to both the greater Wellington region, the central North Island and beyond. “Air New Zealand had some challenges delivering a reliable service within the constraints of its national schedule and this clearly had an impact on customers’ confidence in, and use of the service. This was particularly the case for business travellers.” “There have been a number of changes in New Zealand’s aviation market since Air New Zealand established its service out of Kāpiti and the growth in our tourism will be a real attraction to other players with more flexibility to extend their services.” “Kāpiti Coasters love the airport, which was clear for all to see at the very successful open day last weekend. This news will come as a shock to many who use it, and our thoughts are with the locals whose jobs and businesses are most affected by this decision.
Source : Press Release: Kapiti Coast District Council
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU1803/S00263/council-working-to-attract-new-air-services-to-kapiti.htm
Otaki MP Nathan Guy says Air New Zealand has robbed the Kapiti community by withdrawing its Auckland to Kapiti Coast air service, with just three weeks’ notice. “The route has proved popular and profitable for the national carrier. It’s hard to believe that the reason Air New Zealand is giving – a lack of pilots – has just crept up on them. It stinks,” Mr Guy says. “I also find it hypocritical of Air New Zealand to have been promoting flights from Kapiti Coast as recently as last weekend when they held an open day at the airport. They have deceived the community.” Mr Guy says Air New Zealand is displaying a lack of foresight. “Our region is benefiting hugely by the massive investment taking place with the construction of Transmission Gully and the Kapiti Expressways. It’s making us one of the fastest growing regions in the country. “It is also disappointing that Air New Zealand has given the community insufficient time to come up with another option, so a similar service could continue.” Mr Guy is calling a meeting of representatives from the Kapiti Coast District Council, Air Chathams, Todd Property Group and the Kapiti Chamber of Commerce next week. “The meeting aims to encourage a new carrier to take on the service and Air Chathams has already expressed an interest to me in doing so, but they won’t be able to deliver a service in just three weeks. “I’ll certainly be doing all I can by working with interested groups to fight the decision.” Mr Guy successfully lobbied to get Air New Zealand to begin flights from Kapiti Coast in 2011. “Air New Zealand has invested in the service and it is now performing well, which makes this knee-jerk decision all the more disappointing for regular users and our community.”
Source : Press Release: New Zealand National Party
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1803/S00100/air-new-zealand-dumps-on-kapiti.htm
Regional airlines would struggle on the Auckland to Kapiti route, according to the managing director of Sounds Air... Sounds Air, which offers flights to Kapiti from Blenheim and Nelson, says flying into that region from Auckland is not on its agenda. Most people book low-cost flights into Wellington offered by Air NZ and Jetstar instead of flying into the Kapiti Coast, says Andrew Crawford. "The issue Air NZ will have had, plus any new operator to the sector will have, is that Air NZ and Jetstar offer below-cost fares between Wellington and Auckland - so passengers rightly go for that option."
Source : http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/travel/2018/03/air-new-zealand-scraps-flights-to-kapati-coast.html
Nathan Guy -Air New Zealand dumps on Kapiti
Otaki MP Nathan Guy says Air New Zealand has robbed the Kapiti community by withdrawing its Auckland to Kapiti Coast air service, with just three weeks’ notice. “The route has proved popular and profitable for the national carrier. It’s hard to believe that the reason Air New Zealand is giving – a lack of pilots – has just crept up on them. It stinks,” Mr Guy says. “I also find it hypocritical of Air New Zealand to have been promoting flights from Kapiti Coast as recently as last weekend when they held an open day at the airport. They have deceived the community.” Mr Guy says Air New Zealand is displaying a lack of foresight. “Our region is benefiting hugely by the massive investment taking place with the construction of Transmission Gully and the Kapiti Expressways. It’s making us one of the fastest growing regions in the country. “It is also disappointing that Air New Zealand has given the community insufficient time to come up with another option, so a similar service could continue.” Mr Guy is calling a meeting of representatives from the Kapiti Coast District Council, Air Chathams, Todd Property Group and the Kapiti Chamber of Commerce next week. “The meeting aims to encourage a new carrier to take on the service and Air Chathams has already expressed an interest to me in doing so, but they won’t be able to deliver a service in just three weeks. “I’ll certainly be doing all I can by working with interested groups to fight the decision.” Mr Guy successfully lobbied to get Air New Zealand to begin flights from Kapiti Coast in 2011. “Air New Zealand has invested in the service and it is now performing well, which makes this knee-jerk decision all the more disappointing for regular users and our community.”
Source : Press Release: New Zealand National Party
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1803/S00100/air-new-zealand-dumps-on-kapiti.htm
Regional airlines would struggle on the Auckland to Kapiti route
Regional airlines would struggle on the Auckland to Kapiti route, according to the managing director of Sounds Air... Sounds Air, which offers flights to Kapiti from Blenheim and Nelson, says flying into that region from Auckland is not on its agenda. Most people book low-cost flights into Wellington offered by Air NZ and Jetstar instead of flying into the Kapiti Coast, says Andrew Crawford. "The issue Air NZ will have had, plus any new operator to the sector will have, is that Air NZ and Jetstar offer below-cost fares between Wellington and Auckland - so passengers rightly go for that option."
Source : http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/travel/2018/03/air-new-zealand-scraps-flights-to-kapati-coast.html
Looks like Air Chathams will get themselves a new route for the Saab. Don't be disappointed Kapiti, if Air Chathams come to play, they are awesome! And care about the communities the serve
ReplyDeleteI agree about Air Chathams. They have a range of 19 to 50 seater aircraft to mix n match services from Paraparaumu to Auckland and Christchurch and possibly Nelson.
DeleteThis might convince the Soundsair board to purchase the 1900D's.
Beat me to it.....
ReplyDeleteWas this some insight information that got air chats the extra Saab...?
Nah, just a good deal on the pair. At time of purchase no real work lined up.
DeleteI had a vivid dream that I read on this site that Timaru and Hokitika were dropped and Gisborne service to Wellington had been dropped and was given to Air Chats...
ReplyDeleteRubbish.
DeleteIt was a dream I did say
DeleteThe Air NZ statement is plainly deceptive. "Suspends" means what? Won't fly now but may come back on the route? "Passengers will be re-accommodated on alternative services" - what services? Palmerston North? Wellington? How about "Passengers will be forcibly transferred to services from distant airports with no compensation for the additional cost of getting to and using those airports?" Or "better match its seat capacity to areas of growing customer demand" could mean "we are putting on more seats where we are threatened by Jetstar Regional and areas which are not threatened will be dumped."
ReplyDeleteThe Air NZ attitude these days is that they don't fear alternative operators going on these routes as Air NZ expects to trap much of the business and move it to other airfields through its Airpoints, discount fares, frequent flier schemes, Koru lounges, business deals etc. So Whanganui people would go to Palmerston North, Whakatane to Tauranga, Kaitaia to Kerikeri, and so on. The arrogance of a monopoly which will make more such decisions if it suits it.
Suspends is a very common industry term used by most airlines that stop flying a specific sector.
DeleteSomebody doesn't like Air NZ. Have you thought that Air NZ might be just breaking even on AKL/PPQ/AKL route and decided that the aircraft could be used somewhere else and allowing Air Chathams, Soundsair, Originair, etc to operate in and out of PPQ. Air NZ does not have a mandate to be a social services carrier because the governemnt is the majority shareholder.
DeleteWhat Air NZ has done in streamlining its regional network, is to allow 2nd and 3rd level operators to move in. Air Chathams is becoming NZ's only 2nd level regional operator. If Soundsair does go ahead in getting the 1900's, then NZ would have two 2nd level regional air operators.
Liking Air NZ has nothing to do with it. There is no evidence that the Paraparaumu service was unprofitable and with 52,000 people living in the District (ignoring those from Horowhenua and Porirua)the service was well able to operate profitably and did. Air NZ has a full hand of cards to ensure that it retains the core of this business for itself. No new operator can capture more than a section of the business Air NZ had. Thus at Whakatane Air NZ was running at 34,000 to 35,000 passengers a year (another 3,000 to 4,000 before it understandably abandoned Wellington flights in 2011) - in the first year of Air Chathams that company achieved 19,000. You can see the upsurge of the missing 15,000 in the Tauranga figures - flying Air NZ. (Whakatane reached 23,000 in 2017 - a huge achievement by Air Chathams). At Taupo, since Air NZ dropped the Wellington flights, all the growth (10,000+ over the last two years) has gone to Air NZ. Air NZ skilfully drops services at little notice so it can force those who need to fly regularly to use other centres, then backs this up with ongoing marketing using the many schemes I listed; and more - interlining to overseas flights, international flights sold with a nominal charge for the domestic sector. Air NZ knows that about 20% of people will drive an hour to avoid a flight on a single engine aircraft or one without a hostess and toilet.
DeleteFlying is not a "social service". The key point is that (except for Jetstar) no other operator can match Air NZ services "like for like". Naive enthusiasm for the "little guy" is no answer.
I wonder if Airways will keep the AFIS service in Paraparaumu with Air NZ suspending their operations there.
ReplyDeleteBut if they're not in the tower, who will say 'no reported traffic'?
DeleteI guess they could always have a recorded playback ;-)
Interesting that Nathan Guy seems to think that this is caused by a lack of Pilots. It could be possible though but I don’t think that I have seen that in any of the official information released by Air NZ....
ReplyDeleteChatham’s will have no trouble in operating 4 Saab returns a day.
DeleteIf they want to. Its really going to be hard for chats competing against jet fares ex wlg and pretty sharp fares ex pmr. I just book the olds to fly pmrakl next month and it was $49 each way.....
ReplyDeleteAir NZ has done well with filling their aircraft from PPQ at higher premiums than nearby ports. I can’t get a seat for tomorrow morning.
DeleteClearly its not about filling the seats but prob more about being able to do 2x Trg returns ex akl as opposed to 1x PPQ return in the same time.
DeleteWill be interested to hear what Airnz has to say today as they have been silent since media release.
I think PPQ akl flights will be gone. I'd be surprised if chats have a go, they just won't be able to get the market like WAg when pmr and wlg are effectively so close, with hard to beat fares driven down by the competition.
The additional TRG returns will be ATR.
DeleteThis aircraft is moving to NSN to downguage from an ATR on one of the last evening and first flight out to AKL.
Been reading on Airliners forum that Timaru is the next one to be dropped. Two new Saabs for Air Chats makes sense now!
ReplyDeleteAbsolute bull. That’s hearsay rubbish.
Delete