The inaugural Sounds Air Wanaka to Christchurch service took off in perfect conditions this morning with a full contingent of nine passengers.
Operating out of the building once used by Air New Zealand and now occupied by Southern Alps Air who provided Sounds Air with ground services, there was a crowd of well wishers, including Queenstown Airport chief executive Colin Keel, Queenstown Lakes Mayor Jim Boult, and Sounds Air managing director Andrew Crawford.
Waitaki MP Jaquie Dean was one of the nine passengers on board the nine seater and said she would not have missed it for the world.