Plan to bring Air Chathams HQ to Whanganui still being worked on by district council

 

A plan for Air Chathams’ potential move to Whanganui has stalled, but the district council says it “remains very much on our radar”.

The Chronicle reported in May last year that the airline had signed a memorandum of understanding with Whanganui District Council to work on a business case for a headquarters relocation.

At the time, then-council chief executive David Langford said it would take about three months and cost “as close to zero dollars as you can get” because the work would be done by himself and one council staff member.

Langford left in October to become director of highways, transportation and waste management at Nottinghamshire County Council in Britain.

Air Chathams chief executive Duane Emeny told the Chronicle this week that the Middle East conflict had “put the brakes on everything”.

He had not heard from the council since mid-February, he said.

“I haven’t tried speaking to them either, but I haven’t had a bunch of missed calls about a hanger build or a southbound service,” he said.

“But I think council knows enough, in terms of what we’ve said would make it more interesting for us - what they can do to help get us in there.

“It’s with them, to be honest.”

Air Chathams chief executive Duane Emeny says the Middle East conflict has "put the brakes on everything". 

Air Chathams chief executive Duane Emeny says the Middle East conflict has "put the brakes on everything".

A potential Whanganui to Christchurch route has also been discussed between the airline and the council, and Emeny said last October it was “still very much on the table”.

He said this week that a Christchurch service required another aircraft.

“You would have to repurpose, purchase or lease, there’s that conversation.

“And with two aircraft there, you would have to think about basing your flight crew in the region.”

There would also be regulatory issues to work through, including the need for a permanent rescue/fire vehicle and staff on site, required if there were more than 700 aircraft movements a year, he said.

“It’s a real concern for us and I wouldn’t want to put that on the other airport users.

“I think it’s been modelled out at about $35 per passenger just to cover that cost. That’s significant.”

In a written statement, airport chief executive Sarah O’Hagan said work on the business case was “well advanced”, with “most key components now drafted”.

“Progress has slowed in recent months due to uncertainty in the aviation sector following the fuel situation,” she said.

“However, this remains very much on our radar, and we are preparing to resume the next stage of work.”

O’Hagan said no final findings or costings had been confirmed, and an independent aviation sector review was planned before the business case was presented to councillors.

“No funding has been allocated in the Annual Plan 2026-27 for this work.”

Council chief executive Doug Tate said in a written statement that the key components of the business case, still in draft, included concept plans, an economic assessment and leasing options.

Meanwhile, Air Chathams will suspend its Auckland to Kāpiti Coast route from July 31 due to commercial unsustainability.

Emeny said Whanganui was “definitely not next on the chopping block”.

“It’s the only North Island route that’s washing its face.

“We’ve had to pull the [Whanganui] schedule back, which we don’t like, but that’s because of the fuel cost.

“It’s still 50 cents a litre more than it was in February. That might not sound like a lot, but it is when you’re burning a lot of gas.”

Air Chathams announced in April it would run eight fewer flights a week between Whanganui and Auckland.

Emeny said he hoped to restore some of the flights in the next few weeks.

Whanganui Airport is a joint venture between the council and the Ministry of Transport.

The joint venture’s statement of intent for 2026-27 was adopted at the council-controlled organisations and economic growth committee meeting on June 9.

It included several “forecast performance targets” for the next three years, including “delivery of a business case exploring the initiative to relocate Air Chathams HQ from Auckland to Whanganui”.

Whanganui Mayor Andrew Tripe told the Chronicle that rising fuel costs meant Air Chathams had shifted priorities to ensure it could continue operating efficiently.

But the business case was “very active” with the council, he said.

“The trifecta for me is the interline agreement, the route to Christchurch, and head office relocation to Whanganui.”

An interline agreement between Air Chathams and Air NZ, allowing passengers to book Air Chathams connecting flights through Air NZ, began in December with a trial of flights between Whakatāne and Auckland.

Source: Whanganui Chronicle 

Air Chathams to sell a ATR

 

This morning a Stuff.co.nz article has announced that Air Chathams will be selling the ATR it primarily uses on its Chatham Islands routes, and will now use two Saab 340s (passenger and freighter) instead. Article doesn't mention whether the other ATR is uses primarily on it's Tauck Tours charters will be retained.

The Article in Full:

Fares up, routes cut, planes sold: Passengers pay price as fuel crisis engulfs regional airlines

Regional air travel is facing extreme turbulence as soaring fuel costs and the cost of living crisis make many routes uneconomic, says Air Chathams general manager Duane Emeny.

With fuel prices continuing to bite, Emeny will suspend the Auckland-Kāpiti route at the end of July, a move that has prompted one regular passenger to lobby his local MP for support.

“We didn’t need the surge in fuel costs,” Emeny says. “It happened so quickly we had no ability to adjust.

“It’s tough times for regional airlines. We were re-forecasting down already but we didn’t even meet the bad forecast.”

Emeny has stripped back the company’s North Island services and when they stop flying the Auckland to Kāpiti route, travellers will have to drive to Wellington or Palmerston North before flying north.

Dean Brian, who takes the flight weekly, has written to his MP, Tim Costley, suggesting scrapping the route will have a significant impact on the region’s economy.

“The Kāpiti Coast's ability to attract and retain commercial activity depends on connectivity to Auckland,” he wrote.

“This isn't sentiment – it's economics. The service has operated since 2018 and stepped in when Air New Zealand walked away.

“It would be a serious failure of policy to allow it to disappear simply because the regulatory cost structure makes viability impossible.”

Brian told Stuff commuting to Wellington for an Air New Zealand flight could take up to two hours drive time there and back, and cost up to $150 in petrol and parking. An Uber or taxi would be just as expensive, one way.

In contrast, it was a 20-minute trip from his Ōtaki home to Kāpiti Airport in Paraparaumu, where parking is free. “And time is money, so the time it takes to get to Wellington or Palmy is a waste,” Brian said.

The Air Chathams service was “exceptionally reliable” he said, and good value for money as a 10-trip deal cost $2000.

“I don’t want to shoot myself in the foot here, but if they put that up to $2500 it would still be cheaper than flying out of Wellington on Air New Zealand.”

‘SH1 for the Chats’

Emeny’s father, Craig, started Air Chathams 40 years ago and it remains an essential service for the island’s 700 inhabitants.

“We are State Highway 1 for the Chats. We are the only way to get there, we’re that essential.”

But he is going to sell the 68-seater ATR that has flown to the island, about 800km east of the South Island, for the past three years and use two 34-seat Saabs instead, one flying freight and the other passengers.

He’s confident that will provide a better service to the remote island and that the $7-10m they should get from the aircraft sale will help balance the books.

But Emeny says getting rid of assets had longer-term implications.

“We are well down on last year and last year wasn’t great, and with the dollar so low you’d be silly not to look at selling aircraft. But it is hard to scale back up again [when the economy improves]. It’s effectively cutting regional air connectivity off at the knees.”

Sounds Air chief executive Andrew Crawford has already sold six aircraft and cancelled five routes - and that was before the fuel crisis. Now, he has reduced flights on his routes criss-crossing Cook Strait by 22% this month, and they will be trimmed by 30% for each of July and August.

‘Out-and-out-greed’

Crawford said the state of regional aviation was “terrible”, with the fuel crisis adding $350,000 to his fuel bill in three months.

“Where is that meant to come from? There has been this insidious creep since Covid where the fuel companies are making billions of dollars of profit at the expense of the public. It is out-and-out greed.

“People want to fly but we have to put prices up to keep fuel companies rich.”

Regional Development Minister Shane Jones and Associate Transport Minister James Meager earlier this year announced loans for airlines hit hard by the fuel crisis.

They have included a $17.2m loan to Air Chathams, $4.5m for Sounds Air, $1.1m for Golden Bay Air and $252,000 for Island Air, who fly from Tauranga to Mōtītī Island. About $7m remains in the ring-fenced fund.

Emeny said the fund was helpful “but it really just means we can move our debt from expensive debt with the bank to less expensive debt”.

“It still needs to be repaid but it does keep the wolf from the door.”

‘No government buffer’

Air Chathams passenger Brian wants Costley, a pilot in the Royal New Zealand Air Force for 23 years, to look into the regulatory costs regional airlines face. In his letter to the MP he said the Board of Airline Representatives NZ had noted New Zealand's user-pays aviation framework.

“CAA levies, Airways NZ charges, compliance costs and airport charges all land directly on airlines and passengers with no government buffer.”

Costley told Stuff an easy step would be to remove the Aerodrome Flight Information Service from Kāpiti Airport, as it has been from other small airports.

The air-to-ground communication and advisory service gives pilots critical information like local weather, aerodrome conditions and known air traffic, but leaves the ultimate decision-making up to those flying the plane.

“[Removing] that would save about $1m a year and Air Chathams say it will save them half a million. It’s about $35 a ticket,” Costley said.

“We don’t need it and I’m confident in my view. It will be a huge cost-saver for the airport, for the airlines and for paying passengers.”

‘Road in the sky’

Emeny and Crawford want the Government to see air routes in the same way they do roads like Transmission Gully, the 27km highway that cost $2.5b to build.

“We need to see regional air travel as a road in the sky,” Crawford said. “The Government is pouring money into roads, rail and the ferries and there is this view that aviation is rolling in money. We aren’t, but air travel is essential.”

I have had many flights out to CHT on the Saab when it has been filling in for the ATR, so the aircraft is no stranger to the Chathams run. The Saab freighter ZK-CIW was very busy over the summer hauling freight on and off the Islands. Hard times for our New Zealand airlines.

On a side note, Air Chathams currently have a sale on fares to and from Whakatane for as low as $69.00. -LF

ATR 72-500 ZK-MCO at Chatham Island/Tuuta Airport July 2024

A wing and a prayer for Air Chathams

 

A good interview by Radio New Zealand with Air Chathams CEO Duane Emeny was released this morning. Well worth a listen as he outlines the numerous challenges all of our regional airlines are facing at the moment. 

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/business/598277/a-wing-and-a-prayer-for-air-chathams 

Paraparaumu Spotting

Ahead of Air Chathams' withdrawal from its Kāpiti Coast service I took the opportunity to fly down and back to Paraparaumu on 14 June 2026... An hour stop offered the potential of PPQ spotting on a Sunday afternoon... there wasn't a lot to spot! 

Air Chathams' Saab 340 ZK-CIT at Paraparaumu on 14 June 2026

Sounds Air's Cessna 208 Caravan ZK-PDM arrived from Blenheim and departed for Nelson on 14 June 2026. It was the only other movement between the Air Chathams arrival and departure. Paraparaumu is not the airport it once was and one would have to think, does it really need a Flight Service Station? 

Merlin Labs Cessna 208B Cargomaster is again being used to fly kai moana between Kaikoura and Wellington and occasionally between Invercargill at Christchurch. Pleased the sun came out for a moment

Not going anywhere in a hurry, Bolkow Junior ZK-CJL at Paraparaumu on 14 June 2026

A new one for me, Amateur-built Harmon Rocket II ZK-TWU at Paraparaumu on 14 June 2026

Development West Coast extends support for Westport airlink

 

Development West Coast (DWC) has approved an extension of its support package for the Westport–Wellington air service, helping maintain flights while Central Government continues to consider longer-term support options for essential regional air routes.

The extension will allow the current Originair twice weekly services between Wellington and Westport on Mondays and Fridays to continue through to Monday, 24 August.

DWC Economic Development Manager Fiona Hill said Trustees approved a final extension to provide continuity while Government works through its decision-making process on support for essential regional routes.

“When the original route support package was approved, it was anticipated there would be greater clarity around longer-term support by now,” Hill said.

“As those discussions remain ongoing, Trustees have agreed to extend the arrangement to help maintain this important connection for the Buller community in the meantime.

“This support has always been intended as a short-term bridging measure while longer-term decisions are worked through.

“DWC is not in a position to provide ongoing support beyond this period, which is why securing a sustainable long-term solution remains the priority.

“We know how important this service is to Buller and the wider West Coast and maintaining that connectivity has been our priority through this period.”

Hill said DWC acknowledged the ongoing work of Originair, Buller District Council and Government agencies.

"We appreciate the contribution everyone is making towards a long-term solution."

Originair Managing Director - Robert Inglis welcomed the extension of the route support. 

“This extension provides certainty for passengers and allows us to continue operating the service while discussions with Government continue,” he said.

“We appreciate the support from DWC and the ongoing engagement from Government, Buller District Council and local stakeholders as work continues on a long-term solution.”

Buller District Mayor Chris Russell welcomed DWC’s support for the Westport - Wellington air service.

“This is an important service for Buller. It supports our local economy, provides access to essential services, and helps keep our communities connected,” he said.

“I thank DWC for recognising the importance of maintaining this link while longer-term solutions are worked through. I also acknowledge Originair and Government agencies for their continued efforts. Buller needs a sustainable long-term solution, and I remain confident that can be achieved."

Source: Buller District Council 

A bit breezy in Wellington

 

A gust of wind tipped over a small plane on Tuesday.

This comes as wider weather continues to blast the Wellington region.

Golden Bay Air CEO Richard Molloy told Stuff no one was on their plane when it tipped over.

“It was parked at the gate and it was a very strong gust of wind came through and tipped it on its wing…then, as I understand, another gust came along and put it back on its wheels again."

Molloy said the plane was in between unloading and loading passengers but would now not be flown until it has been assessed by an engineer, but he understood it was undamaged.

“I think part of the problem is that once all the passengers are out of the plane, it's quite light, and it's more susceptible to that,” Molloy said.

Passengers due to fly would be put on an Air New Zealand flight to Nelson and the shuttled over to Takaka.

Wellington Airport confirmed to Stuff there was an “incident” on Tuesday morning with a “small plane tipped onto its wing and wheel”.

A picture shared with Stuff showed the plane was a Golden Bay Air aircraft.

Nobody was injured in the incident.

Fire and Emergency said they were called out, but stood down.

Police said they were not required to attend.

Source: Stuff.co.nz

Air Chathams officially suspends Kāpiti services

 

This just in from Air Chathams CEO Duane Emeny

Kia Ora,

We’re writing to let you know about an important change to our network.

After careful consideration, Air Chathams will suspend its scheduled services between Auckland and Paraparaumu on the Kāpiti Coast, with the final flights operating on 31 July 2026.

This has been a very difficult decision for my team and I to make, but it is the only responsible path for the family-owned airline to take without affecting the viability of its other routes, including its lifeline service to the Chatham Islands. 

We know how valued this service is by our customers, providing a direct connection between the Kāpiti Coast and Auckland for both business and leisure travel. I was reminded of this firsthand over the past few days as I spoke personally with some of our frequent flyers. After eight years of service, we are incredibly proud to have supported and connected the region since 2018. 

However, over time it has become increasingly challenging to operate this route sustainably. Like many regional airlines, we have seen significant cost increases across all areas of our business, including aircraft maintenance, labour, airport charges, air traffic services, compliance, and most recently, fuel. The result is that this route is no longer commercially sustainable, and it is costing us money every time we fly.

We understand this news will be disappointing, and we sincerely apologise for the impact this may have on your travel plans.

What this means for you:

A reduced schedule between Auckland and Paraparaumu will operate until 31 July 2026.

If you have an existing booking beyond this date, our team will contact you to discuss your options.

Aircraft currently serving Kāpiti will be redeployed across our wider network, helping us maintain reliable services to the regional communities we continue to serve, including the Chatham Islands, Whakatāne and Whanganui.

While we are stepping away for now, this is not something we do lightly. We would welcome the opportunity to return to the Kāpiti Coast in the future if conditions allow.

Thank you for your support of our Kāpiti Coast service over the past eight years. It has been a privilege to connect with your community.

If you have any questions or need assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact our customer service team – nzreservations@airchathams.co.nz or 0800 359 669.

Ngā Mihi,

Duane Emeny, Chief Executive Officer 

Kāpiti flights removed from Air Chathams website

 

Noted tonight was Air Chathams have removed all flights between Auckland and Kāpiti Coast from Friday 31st July 2026. 

The removal of these flights from the system come days after Air Chathams missed the due date to repay a $500,000 loan from the Kāpiti Coast District Council.

Airline chief executive Duane Emeny said the loan would be repaid and asked for a 10-business day extension to work out a payment plan, but warned there was "a significant risk" to the direct Paraparaumu to Auckland service if the council chose to declare the loan in default.

No formal announcement yet from either Air Chathams or local Kāpiti media. Watch this space I guess.