NZ looking at merging turboprop and jet fleets
 

https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/ind...h-jet-business

Air New Zealand is considering merging its two regional subsidiaries with its main jet business to save costs. But one travel agent thinks it could be part of a plan to introduce jet services to some regions.

In a written statement Air New Zealand said it was exploring whether there were efficiencies that could be gained by integrating its turbo prop operators Air Nelson and Mount Cook with its jet operation.

"To be clear there is no plan to close these regional turbo prop airlines, or to stop flying to any of our current regional destinations, or to stop operating the Q300 and ATR turboprop fleets."

There is an element of truth to this.. they have been looking at a merger of some kind. Not sure exactly what the latest proposal is, but there was talk of merging the seniority lists and making Air NZ the sole employer of all Pilots while still keeping Cook/Nelson intact. Was mostly a response to Link Pilots leaving I suspect, and was proposed about the same as the SO Cadetship which has since gone quiet.

As for Jets into the regions, it's obviously possible at a few ports while impossible at others. Hamilton and Palmy for example have both had Jets in the past, and can still be used as Alternates. Nelson on the other hand, is just too short so no idea where that idea came from.

Allegedly 110 pilots to be hired this year - doesn't look like much of a reduction if it holds up. (Worth noting: Seoul, plus increases to Taipei and ORD)

Has it seriously taken Air NZ management circa 30+ years to 'explore' this question? :rolleyes:

And then there's the samll matter of airport security (startingwith a robust perimter fence and a massive increae in staff numbers, redersigning the terminals for biosecurity, Immigration and Customs.
Oh, and demand. Easy enough to say that you want to fly international, more difficult to gather 130 bums daily to fly to a given destination....

Plans to extend the runway in NSN have been on the plans for quite some time with the land to the north already purchased.
I doubt you would see NSN as an international airport but once the runway/taxiways were extended and screening in place which has also been taken into account with the new terminal currently under construction there would be no reason why AKL/NSN/AKL jet ops could not take place .
The pay off would be frequency 1x jet at the expense of 2 x ATR flights so not as many flights per day to and from AKL/NSN, WLG and CHC would stay turboprop routes?