Trade Minister and Rotorua MP Todd McClay said the airline’s announcement this week was “fantastic news” for the business community, local families and tourist operators.
“At the time of the reduction of services last year I expressed to Air New Zealand the great displeasure and concern of local businesses and residents.
“It’s clear that the current flight schedule has been having an impact on our city, with many local people telling me they have to travel to Tauranga or Hamilton to fly or overnight in Wellington at additional cost.”
McClay thanked Air New Zealand chief executive Nikhil Ravishankar, whom he had spoken to “about the importance of cities and towns in the regions”.
“This announcement shows he has a good understanding of what makes the Rotorua economy tick, and this is good news for Rotorua.”
An Air New Zealand domestic flight leaving Rotorua Airport. The national carrier is adding more seats and “business-friendly” flight times for some Rotorua routes. Photo / Andrew Warner
Rotorua Business Chamber chief executive Melanie Short said it welcomed Air New Zealand’s changes and acknowledged the positive steps being taken to strengthen connectivity.
Short said its most recent Rotorua Business Pulse survey showed the business community wanted reliability and “better flight options” to support their business travel requirements.
The latest survey, taken in October and released last week, showed almost one-third of responding air travellers never or rarely used Rotorua Airport.
Better flight schedules and greater reliability drove them to use Tauranga, Auckland and/or Hamilton.
Short said the chamber appreciated the airline’s responsiveness to its feedback and “willingness to invest in improved services”.
She encouraged ongoing conversations so Rotorua businesspeople could also enjoy a longer day in Wellington.
The earliest direct weekday flight from Rotorua to Wellington arrived at 10.50am, according to Air New Zealand’s website.
Short said many chamber members travel regularly to the capital for government, sector and advocacy commitments.
“Optimised southbound timings would further enhance this important connection.
“We look forward to continuing to work constructively with Air New Zealand and Rotorua Airport to support a regional air network that enables our businesses and our city to thrive.”
Waiariki MP Rawiri Waititi said he was pleased to see Air New Zealand had added an early-morning flight from Wellington to Rotorua, along with later return services.
“Last year, I raised concerns about the proposed changes, as the removal of these flights creates significant challenges for residents, businesses, and the tourism sector in Rotorua.”
He said the decision to review these changes and to increase capacity was good for connectivity, economic growth and maintaining important relationships between the regions.
In Tuesday’s statement, Air New Zealand short-haul and domestic general manager Lucy Hall said the airline had heard from the Rotorua community that “better flight times” for business travel were a priority.
At weekends, the service to Rotorua would depart Wellington at 10.10am.
“Business-friendly” timings for the Auckland-Rotorua route would continue after March, with a 6.50am weekday departure from Rotorua and a 4.30pm return from Auckland, allowing for a full day in Auckland.
“These changes will make it easier for locals to travel for work and return home the same evening.”
They were aimed at eliminating the need for business customers to stay overnight, while also improving connectivity with Christchurch, Nelson, Dunedin and Queenstown.
Hall said the airline was committed to strengthening regional connections underpinning local business and tourism.
Megan Wilson is a health and general news reporter for the Bay of Plenty Times and the Rotorua Daily Post. She has been a journalist since 2021.