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\nPhoto: AFP\n<\/p>\n
An airport industry group says further cuts to Air New Zealand’s schedule is another blow for the regions.<\/p>\n
The national carrier was notifying customers of further schedule changes as the jet fuel crisis bites.<\/p>\n
Earlier this month, Air New Zealand announced it was cutting five percent of its flights, mostly on regional routes.<\/p>\n
New Zealand Airports Association chief executive Billie Moore told Checkpoint regional connectivity had already been declining for several years.<\/p>\n
“It’s not unexpected, but yeah, it is another blow,” she said.<\/p>\n
“The issue isn’t necessarily the call to shave roots at this point with the fuel price, it’s the base on which that shaving is happening.<\/p>\n
“We’ve been in decline for many years now and for regional [Q300 turboprop plane] capacity, if we compare to 2019, the decline is closer to 27 percent. So quite a chunk of connectivity coming out of the market over that period of time, which really does hurt.”<\/p>\n
Further schedule cuts would continue to erode the regional network, which had already been impacted by an ageing fleet of aircrafts.<\/p>\n
Air New Zealand said less than two percent of customers travelling during this time will be affected, with the “vast majority” of those impacted still able to travel on the same day.<\/p>\n
Moore said for regional flights there had been a capacity decline of about 10 percent in 12 months.<\/p>\n
“We do see a heavier impact for those routes because they are smaller. When you take a flight out, the proportion impact is higher.”<\/p>\n
Although Air New Zealand had a significant role to play when it came to the economic well-being of the regions, criticism of the airline for optimising its commercial situation during a fuel crisis was misplaced.<\/p>\n
“Overall, our challenge is how can we work together to create a situation where [Air New Zealand] will invest in the regions and add capacity over time,” Moore said.<\/p>\n
Moore said despite assurances from the national carrier, regional airports were feeling anxious over the prospect cuts could become permanent.<\/p>\n
“There will be further engagement between Air New Zealand and the regions coming up. I hope it is positive,” she said.<\/p>\n
“And I know the sentiment from everybody is that we want the airline to be profitable.”<\/p>\n