Press release this morning from Development West Coast and Buller District Council, announcing Originair is heading back to Westport for an initial one month period.
Originair has confirmed it will continue the Westport–Wellington air service in the short term and welcomed support from Development West Coast (DWC) and Government.
DWC has approved one month of support for the Wellington/Westport route, enabling services to resume on Monday, 18 May 2026 whilst discussions for ongoing support with Central Government continue.
“We’ve been in discussions with Development West Coast and the Buller District Council for some time, and we’re pleased to be working together on a practical way to keep flights operating in the near term,” said Originair’s Managing Director, Robert Inglis.
DWC Chief Executive, Heath Milne, said after months of engagement with Originair and Buller District Council (BDC) it’s pleasing to see a potential way forward with the support of Government.
Mr Milne advised that after recent discussions with Government and the Regional Investment Fund (Kanoa) a formal request for interim funding had been approved by the DWC Trustees to keep the Westport service going in advance of Ministers confirming on-going support arrangements.
“This gives the community some certainty while longer-term decisions are worked through.”
Mr Inglis said it was encouraging to see Regional Development Minister Shane Jones and his team actively considering the future of essential regional air services.
“We welcome the Minister’s engagement on this issue. Regional connectivity is essential for communities like Westport, and it’s positive to see Central Government looking closely at how these services can be supported in a sustainable way.”
The Westport–Wellington route plays a key role in connecting the West Coast with the domestic and international locations supporting access to Healthcare, Tourism, Business travel, and Government services.
Mr Inglis went on to say that Westport services have been flown by a number of Airlines over the years including Air New Zealand, two of its regional airlines and Sounds Air who withdrew their services in December 2024.
Flying these services sustainably is very challenging due to the area’s small population, increasing operating costs and most recently the fuel crisis. Realistically the only way a small distant community can continue to have air connectivity at fares similar to Nelson – Wellington fares is with Local or Central Government route support.
Mr Inglis said the current support arrangement with DWC is intended as a short-term measure.
“This is about keeping the service in the air for now while those bigger decisions are made. We remain committed to working with Central Government on a long-term solution.”
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