It looks like Originair continues to struggle on the Wellington-Westport route.
Originair started serving Westport on the 3rd of January 2025 and initially offered 6 flights a week. The schedules offered were not tailored for business customers and the reduction indicates the leisure market isn't enough to sustain the schedule offered.
From the 15th of May the airline cut its Tuesdays and Thursdays flights to Westport with the last of these being operated on the Tuesday the 13th of May 2025.
From the 1st of August 2025, according to the airline's website, no Sunday services will operated between Wellington and Westport.
As much as I admire Originair's tenacity in taking on Westport their timetabling hasn't helped. It is the business traffic that will pay the bills and the current schedule does not suit business people travelling to or from Westport.
One wonders what will happen to these regional services operated by the independents and Air New Zealand. Will the Government act?
Why should the government help when a private company hasn't timetabled its flights to maximize revenue?
ReplyDeleteWhy should a private company increase the operating cost of the already marginal flights, by adding hundreds of dollars to overnight 5$3 aircraft and crew there, when council or gov have no interest in assisting? Will the limited demand pay the additional costs?
DeleteRemember NAC . It was a Corporation to serve all on NZ and break even . It was fully understood the Main Trunk would subsidise all the Provincial Routes . Then Muldoon stuffed it all up with The Merger . Air NZ was broke . NAC owned all the provincial city office buildings as well as NAC Head Office Building on The Terrace in Wellington . These $$$ were needed for the First BAIL OUT 🥲.
ReplyDeletePrior to 1978 NAC was the domestic airline for everybody in New Zealand. It was a corporation To serve all of the population of New Zealand. It was a requirement that the main trunk would subsidise all provincial routes With the airline having to break even. Then Muldoon came along And stuffed it all up. Air New Zealand was broke. NAC OWNED ALL THE PROVINCIAL OFFICES. As well as the NAC head office building on the terrace in Wellington. These NAC $$$$ Were needed for the first bail out. Just imagine if Air New Zealand Was turned into a corporation and went back to basics Serving the population of New Zealand.
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