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.
