Air NZ axes Tokyo-Christchurch flights

Air NZ says it is pulling out of its Japan - Christchurch service later this year to concentrate on its existing year round daily service from Tokyo's Narita Airport to Auckland. Photo / NZ Herald

Christchurch Airport and local authorities are disappointed Air New Zealand is ending services from the city to Japan, saying flights were crucial for tourism and getting fresh produce to the lucrative Japanese market.

Air New Zealand is pulling out of its seasonal Tokyo to Christchurch service later this year, instead concentrating on its existing year round daily service from to Auckland. That route will be operated by the airline's new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft from the end of August.

Christchurch Airport chief executive Malcolm Johns said was disappointing to see profitable air services leave the South Island, especially when it is the primary magnet for visitors from that market.

"This decision will have an undeniable impact on the economy of the South Island. The Japanese market has always been important to the South Island and is growing at the moment, so the timing of this is a major blow for an industry that's still on a recovery path after the earthquakes."

The Canterbury Mayoral Forum - which includes 10 mayors and the chair of Environment Canterbury - is calling on Air New Zealand to retain the direct flights to protect millions of dollars of direct economic benefit to regional Canterbury.

Forum chair Dame Margaret Bazley said the decision was disappointing and did not take into account the special needs of regional economies such as Canterbury."The direct flights are crucial for the many specialist Canterbury niche exporters who use the flights to get high-value and time-sensitive merchandise to Japan. If the current direct flights are not available, many of these opportunities simply would not be viable, and the regional economy would suffer." This includes specialist seafood and seasonal flowers, which have been exported direct out of Christchurch for years. Export dollars may well be lost - as well as tourist dollars and regional employment, she said.

Christchurch Mayor Lianne Dalziel said she was disappointed to learn from media that Air New Zealand was withdrawing the seasonal service.

"Air New Zealand knows that images from the South Island are the magnet that attract the Japanese tourist more than anything else. And yet they are essentially removing the last long haul service into Christchurch, the international gateway to the South Island," she said. The airline says the impact of its decision will be small.

"While we accept this decision is disappointing for Christchurch tourism stakeholders, the impact on the total number of seats the airline will operate into Christchurch is minimal," an airline spokeswoman said.

"We will continue to work with Christchurch stakeholders to ensure we provide connectivity to support the regional economic development strategy that will grow out of the next stage of the rebuild," she said.

The airline said research done with consumers and trade in Japan indicated no clear preference to fly into Christchurch and the introduction of daily Narita - Auckland services has seen customers increasingly choosing this option over Narita - Christchurch.

The cost of operating to Christchurch with 787 aircraft was also "significantly higher" than Auckland because of the extra distance and the cost involved in positioning the aircraft in Auckland to continue operating its scheduled services.

This is because the 787 cannot operate to the Auckland domestic terminal which means the positioning flight cannot be operated as a scheduled domestic service.

The Narita-Auckland service will increase to 10 services per week during the northern winter.

All Tokyo flights are scheduled to arrive into Auckland into Auckland in the morning to enable connections to Christchurch and other South Island destinations. Departing flights to Tokyo are also timed to enable same day connections from Christchurch.

Disappointment in Christchurch follows anger in those centres affected by the looming end of regional services to Kaitaia, Whakatane and Westport.

additional reporting NZME