Air NZ may fly jets in regions

[Kiwiguy]

Lemme guess, you're former Origin Pacific crew and you're mates with Skystar320 ?

[ZK-NSJ]

nope, left nelson as a 17yr old

[Skystar320]

crew and you're mates with Skystar320 ?

......... Hey! I keep my source's confidential

[alangirvan]

This topic has gone a bit quiet recently - perhaps we have been repeating ourselves too much.

One airport that has not been discussed here is Wanaka. This is an airport that is still looking to its future. Current services are Beech 1900Ds - some Convair 580 services have operated as charters to/from Auckland. Does this airport build lots of facilities that may not be used if the market does not develop, or does it risk having a terminal that will be crowded if ATRs or Q300s are used?

This is one airport where the Q400 with a flight time of about 2 hours from AKL would be a real benefit. If one of the airlines (could be AirNZ or any other player) does get 70 seater or 100 seater E-Jets, Wanaka might need to accept small jets to make it competitive on time with Queenstown from AKL. And if you develop the airport so that it can handle two hour flights to AKL, then SYD is only 90 minutes further away from Wanaka than AKL.

All this has to be considered against the fact that many people in Wanaka do not want to be another Queenstown. So, the question might be - what is the right size for Wanaka Airport?

[pakeha-boy]

alan...your bloody killing me mate!!!!.....I,m going to have some off the boys jump you in the middle of the night....and we are going to tattoo a Q400 right on your forehead(gear down).....

[alangirvan]

This was an attempt to see if any one still lives in NZ would be half interested in discussing Wanaka Airport. If people have been out of the country, flying for America's Worst, they may not be aware of growth at this airport, and the planning that is going into it at the moment.

The airport can already accept some larger TPs. If Q400s do become part of the air fleet in NZ, will all those holiday makers from the Northern Hemisphere put up with a two hour flight in a TP, where they will not be able to get an Eggs Benedict?

[c100driver]

Wanaka airfield does not meet the specifications required for Part121 Sched Airline operations.

Charter operations run under different requirements.

So it will need a large financial investment from the Queenstown Lake council to upgrade.

[ramyon]

Wanaka?
At the moment Wanaka is a small marginal airfield all be it with alot of potential, but I doubt that there would be the need for regular jet or even large turbo prop operations there for many many years to come. Queenstown hasn't cracked 1 million passengers a year yet and doesn't even have a daily international jet service and it's a tourist mecca ( In NZ terms).

However, unlike Wanaka Queenstown would perhaps greatly benefit from regular e-jet services as this may significantly boost the frequency of jet flights available to the resort town. I also think other centres which currently have just a few jet services like Dunedin would benefit greatly from increased number of e-jet flights. For example with current passenger numbers Dunedin could have 3 direct e-jet flights per day to Auckland over the current 2 733 flights. Increased frequency helps to increase market growth...I think that the e-jets have potential to really grow some regional markets.

[Cypher]

Pakeha-boy, I'll grab the ink....

Wanaka is bloody marginal for a jet as it is... specially in a south-easterly wind, lots of sink off that ridge to the south...

You'd need a wider and longer runway for a start... A bigger apron and terminal and single point refuelling for a start... not to mention bigger fuel tanks for Jet A1 there..

I could see a lot more business jets going to Wanaka, as ZQN charge like a wounded bull with it's boll0cks in a knot... but as it stands, 1200 metres is bloody short for a jet and most of the bigger business jets..

Thats as about as regional a jet your gonna get into Wanaka..

[pakeha-boy]

alan ....was in Wanaka 6 weeks ago,and lived in Hawea flat for a while with your cousin(just joking about your cousin)....so are familiar with Wanaka as it was also stomping grounds during my uni days....not much has changed and some of us do get out of the marae and look around....if thats what your comment was inferring????? ........

I dont really think it takes much to figure out wanaka,s capabilities in relation to A/C that could/,would/have flown into the place...the Airshow is the most obvious example....the numbers are for eveyone to see.....this horse (you keep thrashing) is nearly dead......the hairs have been split......

I have this cone -shaped hat I,m going to send to you...all you have to do is find a corner and a stool....(the tattoo comment still stands)......

[Cyclone Bob]

Paraparaumu

Before you could consider using PP for regular scheduled services, someone is going to have to spend millions to get it up to scratch. All the airport's previous owners have done is close parts of the runways as they decay beyond usability. The main vector is a bumpy rutted strip of rotting tar seal with piles of loose stones everywhere and covered in moss and grass growing through on the southern end. As far as extending Nelson, I wonder if the golf club is just going to roll over and say "here, have our golf course, enjoy it won't you?" Nelson's airport neighbours are also notorious noise complainers... As for Napier, I hear engineers assessments of the soundness of the swamp the runway currently sits on are not encouraging. I recall a time recently after heavy rain when the they couldn't taxi the Q300 on the northern taxiway/cross vector because the tarmac was floating off the substrate and the a/c was starting to leave wheel tracks on the runway! Not that any of this can't be overcome but its going to be very expensive...

[amp04]

Long time reader, first time poster
Just released "Air NZ to expand jet fleet into regional NZ" using 737's


Group General Manager Short Haul Airlines Bruce Parton says
“Jet services will be trialled for six months, giving us a reasonable amount of time to gauge our customers’ appetite for them, and assess their ongoing sustainability. It is critical that all parties work together to make the trial a success including the local communities seeking to attract an influx of business customers.”

They are securing two additional 737 to take fleet up to 18.

[c100driver]

The Full Media release

Media Release: Air New Zealand to expand jet fleet into regional New Zealand

Air New Zealand said today that Invercargill, Hamilton, Dunedin and Palmerston North are being considered for Boeing
737 domestic jet services, to provide regional customers with more daily capacity.
Group General Manager Short Haul Airlines Bruce Parton says discussions about the potential new services are
commencing with airports and local authorities.
Mr Parton says Air New Zealand last year signalled its ongoing commitment to more services for regional New Zealand
and is currently securing two additional 737 series aircraft to enable it to offer prime-time jet services to at least two of
the provincial centres.
He says the final decision on which of the cities will be offered the six-month jet trials will be based on customer demand
and the level of support that can be gained from the regions.
“A number of provincial centres want prime-time domestic 737 flights to target greater numbers of business travellers into
their region,” he says.
“Jet services will be trialled for six months, giving us a reasonable amount of time to gauge our customers’ appetite for
them, and assess their ongoing sustainability. It is critical that all parties work together to make the trial a success
including the local communities seeking to attract an influx of business customers.”
Under the trial, jet aircraft will operate at least five days a week, with jet and turboprop capacity carefully balanced to
ensure frequency of service isn’t sacrificed, Mr Parton says.
“With this jet capacity coming into the regional market we may look to make adjustments to the turboprop fleet.”
The introduction of jets into provincial New Zealand will help stimulate regional tourism, and provide a boon for business
travellers, he says, as well as benefiting the
broader travelling public.
The new initiative will bring Air New Zealand’s 737 fleet up to 18 dedicated domestic 737 aircraft, compared with the 14
aircraft being operated only a few months ago.
“The addition of two extra aircraft to our jet fleet will also provide Air New Zealand with greater flexibility to respond to,
and recover from any disruption on main trunk sectors,” Mr Parton says.
“Our business customers in particular highly value on-time performance and have noted our improvements in this area
over the past 12 months. We aim to ensure we continue to offer the best on-time performance.”
Air New Zealand will make its decision within the next two months, with the new services expected to commence by the
middle of the year.

(Source: Air New Zealand Public Affairs - 11 January 2008)

[ramyon]

Group General Manager Short Haul Airlines Bruce Parton says
“Jet services will be trialled for six months, giving us a reasonable amount of time to gauge our customers’ appetite for them, and assess their ongoing sustainability. It is critical that all parties work together to make the trial a success including the local communities seeking to attract an influx of business customers.”

Jets it is then!!A bit of test marketing before they commit to significant new regional jet order?

[billyt]

Quote"Air New Zealand said today that Invercargill, Hamilton, Dunedin and Palmerston North are being considered for Boeing 737 domestic jet services."

Stupid statement. Air NZ already operate some 737 services to Dunedin.

[ramyon]

Stupid statement. Air NZ already operate some 737 services to Dunedin.

According to this source they are considering expanding on the current jet services to Dunedin which explains it's mention..will probably mean replacing a few CHC ATR flights with 733s.

http://news.theage.com.au/air-nz-pon...0111-1lem.html

But yes in itself a "stupid statement" as per usual the media didn't quite get all their facts straight before putting it out there. Perhaps the editor was from Auckland.

[ZK-NSJ]

in regards to hamilton, they would be better off doubling the daily flights to auckland, the connections are horrible and are always booked out

[SkySurfin]

Im sure this release comes as bad news to the Mount cook boys holding out for a jet. Looks like they are heading down the road to Q400s for sure now. The Mount Cook fleet replacement announcement is in March well before the trial of jets on these new routes mid-year. This eliminates MC from operating jets (if the Air nzd group decide to go that way). In the meantime it will be interesting to see if Air NZ is able to buy any late model 737-300s or just lease. Maybe they will look at leasing 400s........ very similar plane to fly with no extra training required. Im sure they would like that extra 10 or so seating capacity between Auck-Chc.

[alangirvan]

Sorry, which horse? I thought Pakeha-Boy was the one who was telling us that the Q400 is the best invention since the Double Quarter Pounder with Extra Cheese. You were sending all those unproofread posts telling me to forget about Regional Jets in NZ.

So for, a bit of fun, I just wondered - how about Q400s for Wanaka? The last time I talked to Management at Wanaka Airport was a couple of years ago, when they were looking forward to the first Beech 1900D services, and it was a reasonable question to ask just how much growth do they build for? Queenstown and Te Anau had 748 service for years, and Wanaka in the 2000s must be somewhere near Queenstown was in the '70s. The number of expensive units in Wanaka are not being built for people from Dunedin who drive to Wanaka. they are for people who have to squeeze into a 1900D.

Perhaps people from Australia can still fly into Queenstown or Dunedin and drive to Wanaka. Or will Wanaka always be the place that NZers always keep for themselves, so direct flights from Australia will never ever be needed.

When you were beating me about the head on costs of RJs, I was able to ask pilots from Continental about the costs of RJs in their operation. My question: Are 50 seater CRJs and ERJs financial disasters? Yes (We already knew that). Are 70 seater CRJ-700s and and 86 seater CRJ-900s financial disasters? Not yet. I appreciated the answers from the Professional Pilots at CO. I also appreciate the contact I have had with A330 pilots from USAirways. They did not think I was out of my depth.

[ramyon]

Looks like they are heading down the road to Q400s for sure now. The Mount Cook fleet replacement announcement is in March well before the trial of jets on these new routes mid-year.

Not necessarily as it may mean that they have decided to hold off on a March, decision until they have evaluated how well the regions respond to jets. If they respond positively then perhaps the will decide to buy e-jets.

As I understand it Air NZ aren't evaluating the Q400 (although I know that they hold options) they are interested in the larger capacity Q400X and this aircraft hasn't even been built yet let alone flown. It could be many years from the time they place an order to actually getting this equipment. So if they place an order this year or next year it probably will make no difference. I don't think that the basic q400 offers enough advantages ( being around the same capacity) over the ATR's to justify changing them in the short-term while they wait for the q400x to become available. Those who want the faster sector times will be able to fly on the 733 anyway.

Or Maybe they're going with a completely new strategy of flying larger jets ( lower seat costs than e-jets) and and have decided on keeping the existing ATR and Q300 fleet as is. It maybe the cheaper option and an easy way to quickly supply substantial enough jet capacity to scuttle any Virgin plans of using e-jets on regional routes or larger equip like the 737-800...