Sunair's new East Coast service begins

This morning, the 26th of June 2023, Sunair commenced its new East Coast services. 

The new services that operate between Napier and both Wairoa and Gisborne are a result of the February Cyclone Gabrielle damaging the roading infrastructure in the region. Air New Zealand had been operating a temporary air service between Napier and Gisborne and with its withdrawal earlier this month local authorities reached out to Sunair to operate an air service.

This morning's first flights were flown by Paul Corrin and Vince Gardner in Sunair's Aztec ZK-EVP. The Aztec positioned from Tauranga to Gisborne this morning and then operated the first Gisborne-Wairoa-Napier service followed by a direct Napier-Gisborne service.

ZK-EVP is no stranger to all three airports, having previously been operated by Cookson Air on its air service which linked Wairoa to both Gisborne and Napier as well as to Auckland.