What is it like to fly with Air Chathams from Auckland Airport to the Chatham Islands?

What's it like to fly with Air Chathams? Photo / Lewis Gardner

Family run and friendly, Air Chathams is a cleverly managed airline with a sense of adventure. But don’t expect luxury.

Airline: Air Chathams

From: Auckland Airport

To: Chatham Islands / Tuuta Airport

Departure airport: Air Chathams operates just two check-in counters at Auckland Airport. And with their bright green logo and hole-in-the-wall style location, we felt more like we were going to rent a car than board a flight. Even more surprising compared to the big international check-in counters was that there was no snaking queue. In fact, there was no queue at all. We waltzed straight to the counter, dropped our bags and were instantly handed boarding passes. I thus noted it as a new, official world record for fastest check-in experienced by Ben Leahy. Unfortunately, the rest of the boarding didn’t go so smoothly. After we were let through the gate 20 minutes late, a bus drove us to a far corner of the airport, where we waited in the vehicle. The delay was due to ground staff filling spare, unbooked seats with groceries. Yes, you read that right, groceries. Air Chathams is a family-owned airline. And just like a family car, it ferries groceries back to the island for locals. With 1L of milk costing $12 on the Chathams, it also makes sense. On return flights to Auckland, crayfish destined for China are loaded onto the front seats. Ultimately, it made for a novel sight, seeing nursery plants poking from the seat in front of us. Eventually, our plane took off more than 40 minutes late.

Air Chathams' ATR 72 plane flies from Auckland direct to the Chatham Islands. Photo / Bevan Conley

Seat and entertainment: We didn’t see any business class seats on our Air Chathams ATR 72 propeller plane. If it had them, they were being taken up by plants and groceries. Still, our economy seats seemed to have more legroom than most other airlines I’ve been on. Beyond that, our ride was very basic. We had no entertainment screens and a tiny toilet with no running water to wash our hands.

Crew: Ever friendly, our Air Chathams hostesses always seemed up for a laugh. “Hope you can see me in the foliage,” one joked while giving the safety demonstration near the plants. Later they selected one of the kids to help hand out lollies to passengers.

Passengers: Our plane was carrying mostly older tourists, as well as a handful of locals. TVNZ’s delightful television series Chatham Islanders has clearly turned some island residents into mini celebrities. When one nearby tourist scored a seat next to a local, we overheard his first question to his neighbour: “Are you on that show?”

Someone is looking forward to a weekend gardening on the Chatham Islands. Photo / Ben Leahy

Food and drink: Air Chathams doesn’t exactly offer a five-star tasting menu. Passengers on our flight could choose from cookies, tea and coffee and Barbecue or Sea Salt Kettle crisps. For the record, most chose Barbecue.

Arrival airports: Chatham Islands / Tuuta Airport is little more than a hut with toilets. Yet it’s a welcome place to escape the blasting wind while you wait to be picked up.

Best: Friendly hostesses and sense of adventure.

Worst: Not always, but a good 85 per cent of the time I like to use water to wash my hands after the toilet. Kidding! Running water in the basins would be good.

Final verdict: It’s a little like getting a lift in the family SUV. Definitely not luxury, but it has a warm and friendly atmosphere.

airchathams.co.nz

Family run and friendly, Air Chathams is a cleverly managed airline with a sense of adventure. Photo / Jason Oxenham