Nobody is going to make any money on these thin regional routes, blimey if EAL couldn't make it work and they weren't exactly flash on the remuneration front. I just cannot see this working for any of these new entrant operators. Unless, there are substantial local govt grants to ensure an air service is provided for a fixed period and they pay their staff less than EAL did.
The whole process of obtaining the necessary regulatory approvals to even get off the ground will require a very large capital investment.I am sure that Air NZ analysed all the options and crunched the numbers thoroughly, but simply could not make the numbers work, even with their over inflated prices.
Also, with Airways NZ ( CAA) moving rapidly towards RNAV 1 and 2 procedures it won't be too long before a substantial investment will be needed to comply with these new requirements.