Air NZ quits ski business

Air New Zealand is to sell off three South Island ski fields, as the airline attempts to concentrate on its core business.

Air New Zealand has fully owned the Mt Hutt, Remarkables and Coronet Peak ski fields since 1991, operating collectively under the name NZSki.com.

Spokesperson Mark Champion said Air New Zealand was going through challenging times as it sought to return to financial health, and the sell-off was part of a plan to concentrate on what the company did best.

The Government agreed earlier this year to bail out the national carrier at a cost to taxpayers of $885 million.

Mr Champion said Air New Zealand was looking for interested buyers for Ski.com, but would not speculate on how much the sale could earn the company.