Mich, In a round about way you have answered the question yourself re how Jetconnect will be operating VH aircraft. Come June they will be International Ops only. It follows that they too will be able to operate both VH & ZK just as Pac Blue do. Also heard they will be cycling aircraft through Oz for maintainance.
With no more ops to CHC they will need a new maintainance base!
I have still not heard any rumours of unions stopping anything. Only stumbling block is NZ CAA's archaic practices! Still as people change so do the rules!
Never let the truth get in the way of a good story!
Wideglider.