The national carrier announced today it would now use smaller ATR-72 planes instead of the roomier Airbus A320s on three domestic routes or fly fewer times a day.
On Monday, the company revealed it would cut the direct service from Invercargill to Wellington from January 19 next year.
It is now changing the aircraft for two routes from a 171-seat Airbus A320 jet to a 68-seat ATR-72 – a reduction of 100 seats, citing a decrease in customer demand.
It is believed the changes will happen from mid-February next year.
Dunedin to Wellington
Flights from Dunedin to Wellington will now operate using the smaller ATR-72 plane and flight duration will increase by 40 to 45 minutes.
The first flight has been pushed back with a departure time of 6.35am, a transit in Christchurch and landing in Wellington at 8.30am. Currently, the flight arrives at 7.40am.
The last return non-stop flight will be at 4.30pm, while a connecting flight through Christchurch will depart Wellington after 6pm. At present, the latest direct flight departs at 7.45pm.
Queenstown to Christchurch
The ATR plane will also be used for the first flight of the morning from Queenstown to Christchurch. It will also depart later – just before 9am.
The Queenstown to Auckland jet service will be increased by two more services a week.
The first flight of the morning from Queenstown to Christchurch was being moved to an ATR, rather than a jet, and would depart slightly later – just before 9am, Air New Zealand said.
The last service from Christchurch to Queenstown will be in the middle of the afternoon, “due to lower demand and daylight operating limits for turboprop planes”.
Christchurch to New Plymouth
The route from Christchurch to New Plymouth will be reduced by three flights a week, cutting back the early morning and late evening trips.
These flights will take place on Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Blenheim to Wellington
Capacity from Blenheim to Wellington has not been reduced, but the first flight will be slightly later.
In a statement today, Air New Zealand said the changes were a result of reduced demand in response to the tough economic times, while some planes were out of service due to global engine maintenance issues.
General manager domestic Scott Carr said those already booked to travel were being rebooked.
It was not uncommon for the airline to change its schedule, he said.
“A significant amount of care and planning goes into ensuring our domestic network services communities across the country effectively. To do this, Air New Zealand must also ensure its operations are financially sustainable.
“We regularly review our schedule and will sometimes make adjustments to ensure our services are fit for purpose and meet demand appropriately.
“Over recent months, we’ve seen domestic demand soften across most customer segments in response to a tough economic backdrop. This is most evident on some of our regional network. Concurrently, we also have aircraft out of service due to global engine maintenance issues.
“We know this change may cause inconvenience for some, but we want to assure our customers that we remain committed to connecting New Zealanders to each other and the world and we apologise for any inconveniences these changes may cause.”
– ODT Online and RNZ
