Otago Air ?

[BNEA320]

it seems Dunedin folk are getting frustrated with lack of international air services (down to 3-4 a week BNE/DUD/BNE as only international services)


Interesting idea getting 1000 locals from Dunedin area to put in NZD$1000 each & then be given air tickets in return.


Catch is who would operate the services ?


Get a couple of old NZ 733's & base them at DUD ?


Or use Airworks 733 ?


Some traffic does go from Australia to Queenstown via DUD (much shorter drive than driving from CHC by about 2 hours or more each way)


Sometimes fares BNE/ZQN return get over $1000 & so people look for cheaper options.


What chance of above happening ?






Making an air service our own | Otago Daily Times Online News : Otago, South Island, New Zealand & International News (http://www.odt.co.nz/opinion/opinion/306241/making-air-service-our-own)




Airline 'a great Dunedin idea, but . . . ' | Otago Daily Times Online News : Otago, South Island, New Zealand & International News (http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/306530/citys-mentality-praised)


Dunedin and air services | Otago Daily Times Online News : Otago, South Island, New Zealand & International News (http://www.odt.co.nz/opinion/editorial/306627/dunedin-and-air-services)


Otago Air idea brings frustrations to surface | Otago Daily Times Online News : Otago, South Island, New Zealand & International News (http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/306630/otago-air-idea-brings-frustrations-surface)


Rallying 'the dreamers of the day' | Otago Daily Times Online News : Otago, South Island, New Zealand & International News (http://www.odt.co.nz/opinion/opinion/306993/rallying-dreamers-day)

[BNEA320]

Call to ditch big airlines, launch Otago Air - Business - NZ Herald News (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11276303)


another article on idea

[Rodney Rotorslap]

They could buy a Viscount ... no wait a minute, that's been done.

[Mach E Avelli]

Even with the usually co-operative NZ CAA on side, a million bucks wouldn't even cover issue of the AOC and proving flights, let alone up-front lease costs and a month or two of paying bills and wages before the cash flow (maybe!) came good.
10 million would probably do it in NZ. Twice that on this side of the ditch.

[waren9]

if there was any money in it, the incumbents would already be in to it.

if theyre serious they'd be better off doing a deal with jetstar

[27/09]

What chance of above happening ?

It could happen. Will it succeed? Most probably not and especially so if EW gets involved.

if there was any money in it, the incumbents would already be in to it. Correct.

Let's face it, the population in New Zealand is too small in the regional centres to make these services viable. You have to have enough paying customers each day to fill the flights. Where will these numbers come from? How many Dunedinites want to go the Sydney, or Melbourne etc every day, or every week for that matter? How many Syndeyites and Melbournites want to go the Dunedin?

I'd suggest the main reason Wellington has the number of international flights it does is because it's the Capital city and there's plenty of Politicians and Bureaucrats who need to travel. Otherwise Wellington would likely struggle to have international flights.

I'd be keeping my 1000 bucks in my wallet and advising anyone else to do the same.

[TBM-Legend]

Vincent has a spare BAe 146 now...

[BNEA320]

what about as a ZQN alternative ?


Some people ex BNE already use it.


Let's face it, even if only $150 return, multiply x family of 5 & that $750.


ZQN is expensive to fly to nonstop these days.


Some fare on nonstop from BNE to ZQN return are more than flying BNE to LAX return.

[BNEA320]

mache velli, why on earth would you need an AOC ?


Using an existing airline.


If charters no proving flights, in fact don't know whether you need proving flights at all - it's not Australian domestic & no CASA !!!!!!!!

[27/09]

what about as a ZQN alternative ?

It's about a 3 hour 30 drive from DUD to ZQN, if you're coming for a ski weekend that's a fair chunk of one day just driving there and back

[Ollie Onion]

Best chance that DUD has for more international air services would be to pay that $1,000,000 to Jetstar as a 'subsidy'. Jetstar would happily keep the thing flying as long as the 'subsidy' continued.

$1,000,000 wouldn't touch the sides to get a new operator up and running. If this was a feasible market then Air NZ and/or Virgin would be all over it.

[Skystar320]

It's a good idea but I doubt it will ever happen. As the saying goes

"Tell him his dreaming!"

The cost of starting up a Business, especially aviation is astronomical and with a city 120k and no real 'Business' or economy except for University it still looks bleak [mind you wouldn't mind having a pint of speights]

The domestic market is all wound up with Air New Zealand and lessor extent Jetstar so I doubt a domestic feeder service to Dunedin from Auckland or Wellington would feed into a Dunedin - Sydney or Melbourne Flight [Less farting around going Direct from Auckland or Wellington]

I'd give it 6mths before the Red Pen explodes!

I'm with Ollie, give that $1m to Jetstar for the services and give them some $$$ consideration at the airport and be glad!

[Eastwest Loco]

This smacks of the sort of rubbish that local tourism authorities come up with in Tasmania.

Here and particularly in Devonport they cry for low cost carriers to come in as it will boost the local economy. The same with the ferries.

Problem there is that the services would be used and are used by the low yield clients and guess what they do?

They get in their own or rental car and leave for somewhere more interesting.

I am sure DUD is a lovely destination but like DPO just have a look around.

Are you an exceptional destination our just somewhere nice to have a look around on the way to somewhere else.

This is what happens when committees of retired people who have had little exposure to management of anything more complex than a bowel movement are given media time.

Best all

EWL

[jet1st]

no one goes skiing from Australia to ZQN for a weekend. 99% of Australians go for a week or more.

[BNEA320]

yeh you'd have to be crazy to go all that way for less than 5 or 6 nights .5 nights gives you 4 days skiing max. If you lose a day to weather you're down to 3.