Business Travellers Want Earlier Flights from Kāpiti
84 per cent of business travellers would prefer a new air service to depart earlier from Paraparaumu to Auckland, according to data released from a Colmar Brunton Poll commissioned by the Kāpiti Coast District Council. In a survey conducted during May 2018, 36 per cent of business travellers said they would prefer a 6.45am departure, and 48 per cent a 7.30am departure. Heather Hutchings, Kāpiti Coast Chamber of Commerce Chair, says these results back up anecdotal evidence that an earlier, more frequent service to Auckland would attract more business travellers. “Local businesses have been telling us for some time that they would choose to fly from Paraparaumu if more early morning options were on offer. A 6.45am flight would enable them to be in Auckland’s CBD for the start of the business day. A better flight schedule from Kapiti has been identified as one of the reasons more people would choose to fly from Paraparaumu over Palmerston North or Wellington. Affordable fares and easy, cheaper parking are also important considerations for travellers to make and align with what we’ve heard from business in both Kapiti and Porirua. It’s important that a new flight service takes these factors into consideration, particularly if we’re to make the most of the untapped market to the south of Kapiti,” says Heather Hutchings. The Colmar Brunton Survey found that Porirua residents travelled more than 85,000 sectors to and from Auckland from Wellington, compared to only 1,672 sectors from Kapiti. “This quantifies what we know - there's a significant market in Porirua and Mana, but there is some work to be done on convincing them to head north instead of south when choosing to fly to Auckland. There is a perception it’s further to travel, but we need to be looking to the future. Travel time will significantly reduce when Transmission Gully Opens in 2020. “The Chamber supports the Kāpiti Coast District Council in their efforts to secure Air Chathams for Kāpiti Airport. These survey results have given us a much clearer picture of what travellers and business commuters are looking for in flights to Auckland and will help us get a new service off the ground quickly should it get the green light,” says Heather Hutchings. The Kāpiti Coast Chamber of Commerce exists to advance the economy by creating wealth and employment and solve local business issues by providing a collective voice for business in Kāpiti. Over 300 members in Kāpiti belong to the Kāpiti Coast Chamber of Commerce to stay connected, network and gain knowledge and support from our local membership.
Source : Kapiti Coast Chamber Of Commerce Press Release
Meanwhile Air Chathams have posted a proposed Kāpiti timetable on their website
Should not be long now before Air Chathams announce a start date. Does any one know if the traffic lights have been installed at the end of the runway on Kapiti Road? That was one of the requirements to get the service underway.
ReplyDeleteNope, no new traffic lights on Kapiti Road as of yet. Not even any indication of works to start there...
DeleteGuess no permanent work will have commenced anytime in the near to mid term future. Getting remote controlled temporary road work lights will be the go and will turn up at the last minute/a couple of days before service commences.
DeleteIf route deems a huge success. Then there would be permanent lighting installed I could only imagine. But who knows... Price of installing traffic lights vs buying and using temp lights.... even if it is a huge success.... Air Chats could even get an aircraft that would exempt these rules and thus installing traffic lights deemed an expensive project
DeleteIndeed if the route is very succesful they could put on the 50 seat Convair which may not need traffic lights for the take off.
DeleteExactly.
DeleteImagine the ratepayers backlash when a hug sum of money and a huge amount of inconvenience of having road works ripping up the road to fit pressure pads down etc for Air Chats to then buy or use a plane that rendered the lights unneeded... That would be abit of a oops....
Would a Convair exemt the lights rule??? Could air chats upgrade to a 580? Not much difference capacity wise to a 50 seat Q300 and with better timing too... Convair could work. Look better though for Air Chats to start with the 340 and "grow" the route to a 50 seater aircraft..😁 Great for the publicity for the unsuspecting not so aviation counsious public who wouldn't notice that sort of thing
Hahahaha is that what they intend on doing??? That would be geniuous... Come to the rescue.. the public would not know that we also have an aircraft that is also a 50 seater. Bring in the modern looking 34 seater Saab. Operate for a couple of months... "ooo look, we can actually grow this sector to a 50 seat aircraft.... " which is what air nz used from the beginning.... Because we are small and nimble we have the ability to select the perfect timing. Perfect timing equals the most patronage which would easily fill the Saab so we can "grow it" to the 580 and Air Chats will get some amazing publicity and business case as a result of rescuing a province from the mighty air nz.... Which could lead to many other opportunities rumored to be next on Air Nz chopping block
DeleteEarly morning departures and later evening arrivals ( ie full business day in AKL) will make it expensive as it will require slip crewing...dearer fares or bigger subsidies ????
ReplyDeleteMidday crew swap just like the other routes.
DeleteMakes it tight. Late in during evening will be late out the next morning. Airnz have proven that slip crew has worked, but at what cost?
DeleteIf it can support midday services... summer and winter...midday flights tend to be low fares based on early purchase at low yield...
ReplyDeleteWould love to know the thoughts of the average ratepayer regarding this, with what is ineffect a joint venture with the council.
ReplyDeleteYes, hating Air New Zealand appears to be a national pastime, paying more than $60 per sector today warrants a social media rant, but would there be a provincial uproar, my guess is yes, if they were given a few hundred thousand subsidy to continue the service?
I’m sorry if it’s off topic, and I’m not a fan boy of either company, but it stinks of hypocrisy.
Also, if the chamber think that the opening of the new motorway will expand the market to Kapiti, they are seriously dreaming. In fact, the exact opposite will probably occur with cheaper fares out of Rongotai.
Thanks, rant over ;-)
Not forgetting that PMR has high frequency and two operators, the one local I spoke too not shy to admit they will travel (to wlg/pmr) for the best deal, or in some cases drive to save excess baggage in the odd case. They do 1/2 dozen trips a year.
DeleteAnd that's the issue, people will drive an hour to save $50.00 on a fare. No one values their time and overlooks the cost of driving
DeleteIt is not "a joint venture with the Council". Kapiti Airport is privately owned and understandably commercial. Airways charges for flight services push the total cost of operations way above that at similar airports. This has been reported in Kapiti. KCDC can in law and now is paying a sum for an initial period to reduce those costs and make a service viable. It is not a subsidy to Air Chathams. Air Chathams has shown it can beat off PMR competition at WAG and no doubt is confident that it can achieve the same at PPQ, helped by a separate promotional fund which KCDC and Air Chathams are funding to promote Kapiti business and tourism...
DeleteLooking at the proposed timetable, the Saab will overnight in PPQ Monday to Saturday. Bit of a cost there in overnight crewing.
ReplyDeleteBesides business travel, the timetable seems to be designed for morning international flight arrivals and later afternoon/evening international flight departures.
Overnights Sunday to Monday
DeleteOops, mean't Sunday to Friday.
DeleteCrew overnights are a very very small percentage of cost of running an airline
DeleteWhanganui is the same. Air Chathams have purchased a staff house there. Maybe they will look at doing that with PPQ
ReplyDeleteWhakatane flight overnights too doesn't it
ReplyDeleteBusy time for Air Chathams - on their Facebook page on 24 June in answer to a question about their plans for Norfolk Island they answered:
ReplyDelete"Awaiting operational approvals but aiming for September".
Is this it then? Has air chats won the ultimate race of filling the void that Air NZ left and also becoming a fully fledged 2nd almost 1st level airline that could almost rival air nz???
ReplyDeleteSounds air the only other major player that made leaps and bounds in the initial phase with a little extra steal with the ChCh bhl route. With some big announcements of a potential B1900 order that has yet to eventuate... has sounds air conceded and is just focusing being a boteque airline with small aircraft and is happy with what they get particularly with the tau-well route or.. Is it a case of... there still life in them to grow and it watch this space???
Kapiti to Auckland flights on sale this morning on the Air Chathams website. Kapiti to Auckland from Monday 20 August; no flights Auckland to Kapiti shown before 23 August. Entry fare is $69; full fare is $318. Saab aircraft.
ReplyDelete