A small increase in domestic airfares by Air New Zealand should not have a significant impact on travellers to and from Northland airports, the region's tourism and business leaders said.
The national carrier this week announced a 5 per cent rise in domestic fares from yesterday in response to operational cost pressures, including labour, fuel, and goods and services.
The airline cited fuel costs, in particular, that have gone up 54 per cent in a year. Passengers paid between $59 and $257 seat-only fares from Auckland to Whangārei and between $75 and $205 from Auckland to Kerikeri, rising by 5 per cent yesterday.
Another domestic carrier, Sun Air, offers return flights between Great Barrier Island and Whangārei seven days a week and charter flights for the Northland District Health Board between Whangārei and Kaitaia Monday to Friday. Sun Air does not have plans to increase its airfares.
The DHB also uses Air NZ services and NDHB acting chief executive Jeanette Wedding said like all DHBs, Northland DHB would have to absorb the Air NZ price increase into its operating budget.