Air New Zealand to axe flights from Kāpiti Coast airport

[Dave Homewood]

Air New Zealand to axe flights from Kāpiti Coast airport at Paraparaumu
VIRGINIA FALLON
Last updated 10:36, March 9 2018


Air New Zealand is pulling out of Paraparaumu Airport.

Air New Zealand's announcement to can all its Kāpiti Coast flights was "really badly handled" says the district's mayor.

The national carrier will end the service to and from Auckland on April 3.


Porirua Mayor Mike Tana, Kāpiti Mayor K Gurunathan and Horowhenua Mayor Michael Feyen at Kāpiti Airport on Saturday.

On Friday, Kāpiti Mayor K Gurunathan said he had less than 24 hours' notice the service would be dropped.

"It's disappointing that a flagship carrier of this quality metes out this sort of treatment to local provisional towns like us. This is bad news for them and their branding. This has been really badly handled."


The Air New Zealand flights will stop in April.

He blamed the airline for any lack of travellers using the flights.

"It's part of their own making. They're unreliable, they have problems with their scheduling, they cancel flights so people are forced to go back to Wellington at the last moment. They have created the suituation."

More than 1000 people had turned up to the open day, held on Saturday, to show their support for the daily service, he said.

The company runs daily flights from the airport, in Paraparaumu north of Wellington, to Auckland. Kāpiti to Christchurch flights were dropped in 2015.

The news comes less than a week after a public show of support for the airport by three of the region's mayors at an open day.​

In a statement Air New Zealand said: "The airline is currently making domestic schedule adjustments to better match its aircraft seat capacity to areas of growing customer demand and is committed to continuing to grow the wider regional network".

Air New Zealand has operated the Kāpiti-Auckland service since 2011 and "recognises the support the community has given to it".

The company said it would support any other airline that operates the route.The last service will operate on April 3 and passengers booked to travel past that date would be re-accommodated on alternative services, Air New Zealand said.

The airport is owned by Todd Property Group and managing director Evan Davies said in a statement the company had worked hard over the years to support airline services.

"Air New Zealand is the only commercial airline to run services from Kāpitii Coast Airport to Auckland, and the loss of the connection will be disappointing to the local community and passengers who use the service."

"Kāpiti Coast Airport is carefully considering Air New Zealand’s announcement, and what it will mean for the airport. This will include consideration of alternative airlines that may be interested in operating the Auckland-Kāpiti route."

Kāpiti Coast Chamber of Commerce chairwoman Heather Hutchings said the loss of the flights would leave a large hole in the region's economy.

“We are particularly disappointed with the airline’s decision, after the overwhelming show of community support last weekend.

“Collectively, we’ve been very open to doing what we can to build an enduring service, however, doing this hasn't always been easy in the face of ongoing cancellations and delays - we hear and understand how frustrating this has been for travellers, who have continued to support the flights - especially business commuters."

Air New Zealand has been approached for further comment.

- Stuff

www.stuff.co.nz/travel/news/102118262/air-new-zealand-to-axe-flights-from-kpiti-coast-airport-at-paraparaumu

[dazz]

Further opportunities for Chats and their new Saabs perhaps? Perfect timing.

[kiwithrottlejockey]

Bring back New Zealand National Airways Corporation.

At least NAC operated social services to the provinces, which incidentally earn NZ's REAL income in export earnings.

[dodgy]

Funny timing so soon after the open day - or was that the chamber of commerce waving a flag of desperation? Huge number of people turned out. I promised some 90 year old who used to work at De Havilland at Rongotai a flight in the tiger. The harvard is flying again so we put her up for display as well.

[Dave Homewood]

I've heard the airfield is under serious threat from the developers wanting the land, and this must be a nail in the coffin?

[Peter Lewis]

The developers already have made major inroads into what used to be airfield property.

[FlyingKiwi]

Yep, when you look at how much the surrounding developments have encroached in the last couple of decades, it has to be the most under threat commercial airport in the country at the moment. Especially sad given quite a lot of the Wellington GA community moved to Paraparaumu as WN became increasingly GA unfriendly.

[Dave Homewood]

When Air New Zealand leaves can it still be considered as a commercial airport? Are other operators currently using it?

[kiwithrottlejockey]

There are still commercial passenger flight operators flying across Cook Strait from Paraparaumu.

Although the “most fun” Cook Strait flights disappeared when Picton Float Air folded and their DHC-2 Beaver floatplane flights from Paramata to Picton ended. I crossed the strait a couple of times on those flights, and both times I got lucky with other passengers going to places other than Picton (for a higher fare price), so got the scenic tour of the Sounds enroute to Picton with a couple of alightings and takeoffs elsewhere.

[johnm]

Don't know much about the subject ............ but this could change the scheduling dynamics of the lower north island and masterton might pick up some crumbs / flights ?

[FlyingKiwi]

Air 2 There are still going aren't they? They were Paraparaumu based if I'm not mistaken?

[kiwithrottlejockey]

Yeah, they're still going, flying across Cook Strait.

During Air2There's earlier days, they even operated a service between Masterton and Wellington and I intended to fly over to Wellington on that service sometime, just for the hell of it, but I procrastinated for too long, then that service was canned.

[tbf25o4]

Without ANZ operating from the airport, there is insufficient income from the other commercial users and the local aero club to make the airport profitable. Already there is a proposal from the owners
to the local council to change the zoning so that they may carve off most of the current land not directly related to the actual runways 34/16 seal and grass to turn it into commercial development.
As it is a privately owned airport, unless there was a moratorium placed on the airport use as a "strategic" asset by the government, in my opinion it will eventually be turned into housing/commercial use.

[thomarse]

I don't see Jetstar rushing to fill the void.

Guess why?

[Dave Homewood]

Because if the route was unprofitable for Air New Zealand it sure as hell won't be worth Jetstar trying to take over the market.

[baronbeeza]

Unfortunately 'our' Air New Zealand has a habit of setting up in opposition to any local competition. They must know that both will then lose on the deal but, more often than not, as soon as the other guys fold and goes under, Air NZ then upsticks as well.
The guys here will be able to rattle off literally dozens of former airlines they have done that trick on.

They have a terrible reputation in some quarters of the aviation community.

[saratoga]

"It's disappointing that a flagship carrier of this quality metes out this sort of treatment to local provisional towns like us. This is bad news for them and their branding. This has been really badly handled."

I guess if the town is only provisional it might disappear anytime!

[kiwithrottlejockey]

If the developers get their way and keep hammering nails into to the coffin until Paraparaumu Airport is forced to close, I guess Masterton District Council could be persuaded to find room at Hood Aerodrome for the Wellington GA community. There's plenty of land available there and it is distinctly rural.

[johnnyfalcon]

Express train that links Hood with Wellington Central? What could be the fastest time possible through the mountain?

[kiwithrottlejockey]

6¼ minutes through the mountain from tunnel portal to tunnel portal at normal operating speed (90km/h inside the tunnel).

However, at the moment, the track through the tunnel has a temporary 60km/h speed restriction on it pending complete renewal of the rails, sleepers and ballast inside the tunnel, so it currently takes just over 8½ minutes to go from the Mangaroa Valley through the mountain to the Wairarapa side and vice-versa.

Or you can join the mad bastards racing each other over the mountains via Remutaka Pass (yep, that is now the correct name & spelling, 'cause it turns out that Rimutaka is mis-spelt). And the range is now officially called the Remutaka Range. Except that Rimutaka Prison is refusing to change their name to the correct spelling, because Remutaka means a place to sit down and rest, and they don't like the idea of their clients taking that sort of easy life.