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Post by corsair67 on Nov 15, 2006 15:41:32 GMT 12
Very interesting indeed. Will be good to follow any further developments with this airline. If they get off the ground, I give them six months!  From the Dominion Post. Airline set for take-off 15 November 2006 ROELAND van den BERGH A new airline, Kiwi Pacific, says it plans to start flying domestic services next month. Nelson-based airline Origin Pacific collapsed in August, handing Air New Zealand a monopoly of regional services. Qantas also flies on the main trunk route. Kiwi Pacific said yesterday it would fly between the main centres and offer regional services, naming Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Nelson and Dunedin. Mystery surrounds who is behind the new airline. Former Origin Pacific shareholder Mike Pero said he was not involved. There are indications that Auckland-based Airwork would at least provide the aircraft and operational expertise. "After the closure of the only main competitive regional airline earlier this year, a gap has been left in the regional carrier market and Kiwi Pacific intends to take to the skies and offer competition with affordable flights for all New Zealanders," the airline says in an unattributed statement. Its website offers only to keep interested parties informed of developments. Kiwi Pacific said it would use a Boeing 737, Fairchild Metroliners and British Aerospace Jetstream aircraft for scheduled passengers services and charters. Freight would be carried on Fokker Friendships. Charter and freight airline Airwork is the only carrier to have all those models of aircraft in its fleet, except the Jetstreams, which are likely to be those previously flown by Origin Pacific. Airwork started in Wellington in 1936 and has fixed-wing, helicopter and maintenance operations. Airwork managing director Hugh Jones did not return calls yesterday. The owners of Origin's Nelson terminal, Honk Group, have been in talks with several parties to lease the building. Civil Aviation Authority spokesman Bill Sommer said Airwork already had the necessary approvals needed to start scheduled services and would need only to inform the authority of the new name. |
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Post by Bruce on Nov 15, 2006 17:03:23 GMT 12
Well I would be surprised if any former CityJet directors would be involved if Airwork was - a little bit of bad blood there I would have thought. I'd be really interested to know some names when it becomes public.
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Post by corsair67 on Nov 15, 2006 17:24:15 GMT 12
Yeah, it certainly does seem a little mysterious.  No doubt, more will be forthcoming. |
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Post by flyjoe180 on Nov 15, 2006 22:46:50 GMT 12
Kiwi Pacific - Passenger, Freight, Charter Ops Tuesday, 14 November 2006, 12:13 pm Press Release: Kiwi Pacific Kiwi Pacific Announces Passenger, Freight and Charter Operations New Zealand's new regional airline, Nelson based Kiwi Pacific is pleased to announce the commence of passenger, freight and charter airline operations from early December 2006. The airline will offer booking online, over the phone and via travel agents. Kiwi Pacific will fly between New Zealand's major cities and surrounding destinations such as Auckland, Tauranga, Wellington, Nelson, Christchurch and Dunedin. Charter and freight flights will be available at almost all New Zealand airports. After the closure of the only main competitive regional airline earlier this year, a gap has been left in the regional carrier market and Kiwi Pacific intends to take to the skies and offer competition with affordable flights for all New Zealanders. The airline is using British Aerospace Jetstream, Fairchild Metroliner and Boeing 737 aircraft for passenger flights and Fokker Friendship aircraft for freight flights. The Jetstream's feature leather seating, air conditioning and are designed to offer a relaxed environment for travellers. The Boeing aircraft will offer economy and business class flights between main centres, which will be New Zealand's only airline to offer domestic business class seats. Kiwi Pacific is looking forward to the first flight commencing early December 2006. Consumers can find out more information by visiting the Kiwi Pacific website at www.kiwipacific.co.nz which will include all information on the airline and photos of the fleet by the end of the month. ENDS www.kiwipacific.co.nz |
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Post by corsair67 on Nov 16, 2006 10:50:19 GMT 12
The plot thickens.........
From The Press.
Nelson airline lacks connections
16 November 2006
By HELEN MURDOCH.
Serious doubt surrounds the credibility of a new domestic airline flying out of Nelson.
The man claiming to be behind the venture, Lamar Hargreaves, was yesterday hiding behind the closed curtains of his parents' Chidley Place, Nelson home.
A man at the house denied any connection to Hargreaves or the Hargreaves family when approached by The Press. He was later found to be Hargreaves' father.
In a release to the media, Hargreaves, a web designer and computer programmer, said his Kiwi Pacific Airline would fly passengers to cities and regions from next month. The service, designed to fill the void left by the collapsed Origin Pacific, would offer $99 flights between Nelson and Wellington.
Hargreaves said Kiwi Pacific would use a Boeing 737, a Fairchild Metroliner and a British Aerospace Jetstream for passenger and charter services, and Fokker Friendship aircraft for freight.
He admitted having no experience in the aviation industry and said he started planning the venture only three months ago, but that his venture had the backing of a licensed operator.
However, no-one contacted within the aviation industry has heard of Hargreaves, who refused to name the supporting licensed operator. Hargreaves said he would be speaking to an Auckland-based aviation company, Airwork, the only national carrier able to provide Kiwi Pacific's planned fleet.
Airwork managing director Andrew McMaster said he had not heard of Hargreaves.
While aircraft could be leased internationally, "history showed operators need a fairly substantial amount of money behind them", he said.
Robert Inglis, managing director of the failed Nelson-based Origin Pacific Airways, said Hargreaves' name meant nothing to him.
Civil Aviation Authority spokesman Bill Sommer said Hargreaves would need an air operator's certificate, unless he was backed by an existing operator.
"Starting from scratch is an enormously lengthy and costly undertaking," Sommer said.
The landline to Hargreaves' internet service provider company, Supra Ltd, was disconnected and only a message service was available on an 0800 number, provided under Supra's New Zealand Companies Office listing.
Hargreaves was listed as the sole director and shareholder of Supra Ltd.
People in Nelson's internet community who knew of Hargreaves were sceptical of his airline claim.
Hargreaves' press release on the airline follows news this week that the owners of Origin Pacific's former Nelson terminal are talking to parties about leasing the building.
The Honk Group, an Auckland-based investment company, owns the Trent Drive terminal.
Honk Group director Paul Webb said he did not know who Kiwi Pacific was.
Hargreaves said he planned to operate from the terminal but had not discussed the proposal with Honk Group.
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Post by flyjoe180 on Nov 18, 2006 9:14:21 GMT 12
Maybe the bloke's a nutter?
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Post by Dave Homewood on Nov 18, 2006 12:56:47 GMT 12
Starting a domestic airline in competition with Air New Zealand? He'd have to be.
Just putting Kiwi in the title bodes badly, after the last Kiwi Air was run out of town by the big boys.
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Post by flyjoe180 on Nov 19, 2006 9:40:16 GMT 12
Yes, I don't believe declaring routes to cities already well serviced by Air New Zealand is the best way to get started, nor is offering cheap seats that probably wont cover costs if the aircraft are not full. Learn from the mistakes of past airlines; have sensible ticket charges, and offer a service that exceeds what is already on offer to us all. People will pay for reliable and safe service, and return for more if the experience was a happy one. KISS
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Post by chrisnpl on Nov 19, 2006 12:34:56 GMT 12
Probably a non-starter... it all sounds very suspicious.
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Post by flyjoe180 on Nov 24, 2006 11:29:00 GMT 12
www.nbr.co.nz/home/column_article.asp?id=16722&cid=4&cname=Business+TodayA new Nelson-based airline appears unlikely to make it to the skies, with the managing director of the company speculated to be providing the aircraft for the venture denying any knowledge of the new airline. Press releases were issued earlier this week in the name of Kiwi Pacific, saying the new service would offer passenger, freight and charter services out of Nelson. The release said the airline would fly British Aerospace Jetstream, Fairchild Metroliner and Boeing 737 aircraft for passenger flights and Fokker Friendship aircraft for freight flights. Airwork NZ was thought to be involved as it owns the relevant craft, but managing director Hugh Jones told NBR he didn't know anything about Kiwi Pacific. Mr Jones said Airwork NZ would be the only company in the country who could operate the airlines mentioned. He was critical of the press release being unattributed. "It's a joke, isn't it." Mr Jones said if everyone who said they were going to start an airline in New Zealand started one: "there'd be airlines all over the place." According to The Press, the owner of the company behind the Kiwi Pacific website is Lamar Hargreaves, a Nelson web designer who has gone into hiding from the media. Mr Hargreaves said his venture had the backing of a licensed operator but refused to name them.
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