Editorial: So near yet so far

It seems a lifetime ago now but when I lived in the UK for a few years, travelling around the country and even around Europe was relatively cheap and easy.

It was almost criminal not to take advantage of deals offered by budget airlines like EasyJet and Ryanair - once we even flew from London to Cork for 4 punt (maybe NZ$6) each. The airport fees were higher than the seat prices.

Of course things can't be quite that cheap in New Zealand. Economies of scale dictate that our smaller population and isolation mean travel costs here can never match those in bigger markets. There's also a lack of competition on the regional routes to consider.

The Prime Minister weighed in on the cost of airfares on regional routes this week, telling Air New Zealand it should reduce those fares if it can.
His comments came in the wake of the company's record $262 million annual profit announcement.

We're lucky enough in Rotorua that the drive to Auckland, for example, isn't too arduous, and doesn't take too much longer all things considered (though it's not ideal if you're connecting to an international flight).

But as we reported yesterday, locals wanting to fly south are balking at the cost, with some driving to Auckland and flying from there to save money.
Air New Zealand's not a charity, of course, and it has to find the balance between providing a necessary service and meeting its costs.

But it does seem weird that travellers could go overseas and back for a lower price than flying to South Island destinations.

There are many bonuses to living on a set of islands at the bottom of the world - unfortunately getting to visit other parts of those islands without spending up large may not be one of them.