So if it got as far as Origin Pacific putting on a J31 then perhaps it was the retraction in routes and services when Qantas pulled the code share with Origin?
Remember origin were flying to Invercargill and Dunedin at one point, using everything from J31, J32, J41, Dash 8 and even the ATR-72-200. All that disappeared so then it was not the service, but rather Origin Pacific which spelled the end for AKL-PPQ ?
Dave Collier told me they were just three Jetstreams short of overwhelming Air NZ domestic services at their height... Interesting thought.
Wonder if those 402s were the same pair which hung out with Capital Aviation in the 70s at Wellington Aero Club ?
Maybe RJ decided that if they wouldn't allow smoking on NAC then he'd start his own airline ???