Nothing pulls a community together more than a feeling of dishonest or misleading information as was the case with Air New Zealand withdrawing from Kapiti Coast Airport. While their withdrawal from this Airport is no longer news what’s been happening behind the scenes is good reason to hope an effective and reliable service is going to happen.
The Positive is Air Chatham’s interest in Kapiti and along the western corridor. There’s no doubt this could be a game changer for Porirua residents and business travellers. They’re an experienced airline who understand what it takes to get an efficient and reliable service up and running, and, they know how to operate competitively.
Established in 1984 Air Chathams established an important passenger and freight services between the Chatham Islands and mainland New Zealand. They are specialists in perishable freight such as fish destined for export markets.
In addition, they boast a good track record in Whanganui with return flights going to Auckland three times a day Monday to Friday. Weekend flights are also scheduled and the service is well supported. In 2015 they commenced a service from Whakatane to Auckland with scheduled flights to support business. Their experience in freight was also a bonus for the region.
Confirmation from Air Chathams is likely next week with an estimated two to three months to work through the regulatory detail. Watch this space for more updates as the Porirua Chamber continues to support this initiative.