The Ansett New Zealand Regional Franchise

Ansett New Zealand Regional was the new name for the two remaining airlines that had previously operated under the Tranzair name in association with Ansett New Zealand on a franchise basis. On the 29th of February 1996 Tranzair became Ansett New Zealand Regional and Rex Aviation's Bandeirantes and Northern Commuter Airlines' aircraft were rebranded accordingly. 

Pasted below is a summary of each of the three Ansett New Zealand regional operations  and a link to where the full details can be found...

Operated Ansett New Zealand Regional services between Rotorua and both Auckland and Wellington 

In October 1998 Air National began operating Rotorua-Wellington flights on behalf of Ansett NZ using British Aerospace J32EP Jetstream, ZK-ECN. From the 25th of July 1999 Air National began operating Rotorua-Auckland flights on behalf of Ansett NZ using Embraer EMB-110P1 Bandeirante ZK-ECM. Air National continued to do this until Ansett NZ was taken over by Qantas.

Details of Air National's operations 

and a fuller account of its Ansett NZ Regional operation can be found here :

https://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.com/2011/03/au-revoir-air-national-1-early-turbo.html

Operated Ansett New Zealand Regional services between Auckland and both Whangārei and Whakatāne

 The Northern Commuter Airlines operation of Ansett New Zealand Regional services was short-lived. On the 3rd of November 1996 the Whakatāne-Auckland service was withdrawn and this marked the end of Northern Commuter Airlines involvement in the franchise with the Whangārei service being taken over entirely by Rex Aviation Bandeirantes. 

The full Northern Commuter Airlines' story 

and a fuller account of its Ansett NZ Regional operation can be found here :

https://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.com/2018/12/northlands-own-airline-northern.html

Operated Nelson-Wellington, Blenheim-Wellington and Palmerston North-Wellington, Whakatane-Auckland and Whangarei-Auckland

Operated Ansett New Zealand Regional services between Nelson and Wellington, Blenheim and Wellington, Palmerston North and Wellington, Whakatāne and Auckland and Whangārei and Auckland

There was no immediate change after the Rex Aviation fleet was branded as Ansett New Zealand Regional but on the 3rd of November 1996 the Whakatāne-Auckland service was withdrawn. This was followed by the withdrawal of the Whangārei-Auckland service on the 1st of August 1998.

1999 saw the replacement of the Bandeirante fleet with three British Aerospace Jetstream 32s. 

On the 23rd of March 2000, News Corp. Ltd. sold Ansett New Zealand and Rex Aviation to New Zealand consortium Tasman Pacific Group. The Ansett New Zealand Regional fleet of Jetstreams that were operated by Rex Aviation were subsequently repainted in Tasman Pacific Connection’s colour scheme from the 4th of September 2000.

The full Rex Aviation story 

and a fuller account of its Ansett NZ Regional operation can be found here :

http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.com/2019/01/rex-aviations-tranzair-and-freight.html

In addition other airlines also connected with Ansett New Zealand flights as follows...

Operated Christchurch-Kaikoura

SouthFlight was not formally part of Ansett NZ Regional but operated flights connecting Kaikoura to Ansett New Zealand's services to and from Christchurch around  1995 using a Piper Aztec and a Piper Seneca.

The full SouthFlight Aviation story 

and its relationship with Ansett New Zealand can be found here :

http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.com/2014/11/fly-south-southflight-aviation.html

Operated Te Anau-Queenstown and Queenstown-Milford Sound

 Waterwings Airways was not formally part of Ansett NZ Regional but operated flights connecting Te Anau and Milford Sound to Ansett New Zealand's services to and from Queenstown from 1987 to 1998. Cessna and GAF Nomad aircraft were used.

The full Waterwings Airways story 

and its relationship with Ansett New Zealand can be found here :

https://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.com/2019/02/waterwings-airways-and-its-milford.html