I can see where you all coming from, but cant quite agree on the Air NZ needing a LCC thing. PB are reducing the frequency of NZ domestic services. They have an $11M loss and are now trying to make money out of Dunedin and Hamilton on the Tasman. A typically big, ballsy move, and good on them.
But...
Could Air NZ already have a invisible LCC? Inside the 73 you have 2 types of seats, up front for the regulars and big fare payers more leg room etc and down back less leg room for the cheepies You have pricing on Grabaseat and fares outside peak business times are sure to be similar to the LCC competition. But you also have nearly all the business travel of NZ and the fares that come with that.
Is it possible to use the same branding, same aircraft, same staff to achieve the impossible of being all things to everything at once?
And as for cost base, surely running 50 aircraft domestically has its advantages of scale to operating 6 or so?
I really cant see anyone ever successfully taking on the regionals in NZ without a seriously large bucket of $$ and a large loose screw.