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Northland’s connectivity via air may take a major hit, after Air New Zealand announced cuts to key flights connecting Kerikeri and Whangārei to Auckland and beyond.
The decision, attributed to falling demand, has sparked concerns over the long-term impacts on tourism, business, and connectivity for one of NZ’s most vibrant regions.
Northland changes include the removal of four off-peak flights from Auckland to Kerikeri and four off-peak flights from Kerikeri to Auckland (Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday).
Four off-peak flights from Auckland to Whangārei will end, along with four off-peak flights from Whangārei to Auckland (Monday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday) for services between March 30 to June 29.
For services between February 17 to March 29, changes include the removal of:
Three off-peak flights from Auckland to Kerikeri and three off-peak flights from Kerikeri to Auckland (Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday).
Three off-peak flights from Auckland to Whangārei and three off-peak flights from Whangārei to Auckland (Monday, Thursday and Sunday).
Scott Carr, Air NZ general manager domestic, said the airline had been responding to the domestic economy for several months.
The airline had to adapt to the changing market while still meeting service demand, he said.
Air New Zealand general manager domestic, Scott Carr said the decision to cut flights to Northland was in response to the domestic economy.
“Like other airlines in Aotearoa, our domestic business continues to be impacted by challenging conditions, including high operating costs and soft domestic demand, particularly across corporate and government customers.
“As a result, we’ve made some changes to our services in the areas where we are seeing the most impact from less flying.
The reductions gave the airline “a small amount of resilience to improve recovery options” for regional flight disruptions.
The changes will result in 2% fewer seats on the domestic network over a four-month period.
“We will continue to monitor domestic demand and will review the schedule from July onwards closer to the time.”
Northland Inc chief executive Paul Linton said strong air connectivity plays a vital role in supporting the region’s businesses, tourism and communities.
“The reduction in Air NZ services into Kerikeri and Whangārei is disappointing, as reliable transport links are essential for ensuring business travellers and visitors can easily access Northland’s experiences, vibrant towns, and diverse opportunities.”
“Convenient air travel is a key driver for economic growth and visitor satisfaction. In particular, the scheduling change impacts air access into the Bay of Islands, one of Northland’s key visitor hubs, and Whangārei, a key business hub and gateway for regional travel.”
Linton said Northland Inc would continue engaging with Air NZ to share concerns regarding the changes and said they remain committed to ensuring Northland stays connected.
He added that Northland was fortunate to have multiple airline carriers connecting the region to ports across the country.
One such carrier, Barrier Air said they will continue to provide services to passengers coming to Northland.
Grant Bacon (second from left) said the changes were unfortunate, but added that Barrier Air would continue flights to the region.
Barrier Air chief executive Grant Bacon said the changes were unfortunate for the region but added that they continue to go from strength to strength as they continue to provide the service for passengers.
“We have flights to Kaitāia and Kerikeri and we are about to announce that we are going to increase our schedule…we are growing with the market.”
“We have had great support from the market, with plenty of sold out dates. It’s inevitable that people are looking for reliable and friendly service to come to Northland.”
“Northland gets visitors from all over and it’s important to have services bringing them to the region. We have seen customers from Wellington and further down the South Island. A lot of people are from Kerikeri and the Bay of Islands. It’s good to see people are coming back on regular trips.”
