Covid 19 coronavirus: Air NZ shrinks its domestic network to handful of cities

Air New Zealand has shrunk its domestic network to just 5 per cent of its former size and cut flights to 15 cities and towns.

The airline will operate a limited domestic schedule from tomorrow to enable essential travel only and to keep air freight moving.

It will operate just 47 return flights a week spread among five cities; Auckland, Wellington, Nelson, Christchurch and Dunedin.

The airline normally operates around 400 domestic flights a day.

The airline says it can operate ad hoc flights to any part of its network for essential workers at short notice.

The airline's domestic schedule while the country is at alert level 4 is as follows:

Auckland-Christchurch using an A320
3x return services Mon-Fri
1x return service Sat/Sun

Auckland-Wellington, A320
1x return service Mon-Sun

Wellington-Christchurch, Q300
2x return services Mon-Fri
1x return service Sat/Sun

Wellington-Nelson, Q300
1x return service Mon-Fri

Christchurch-Dunedin, ATR
1x return service Mon
1x return service Fri

Air New Zealand chief revenue officer Cam Wallace says domestic travel is still an option but is extremely limited while New Zealand is at Alert Level 4.

"We have updated our schedule to reflect this. In the coming weeks we will be operating a limited number of flights a day using our A320 jet aircraft, as well as our ATR and Q300 turboprop aircraft.

"Kiwis are respecting the Government's essential travel only advice, however, we still ask customers to please check they qualify to travel under the essential services list before booking a ticket or going to the airport."

NeedToKnow3

Air New Zealand has also established a process whereby the airline will operate ad hoc domestic charter flights at the request of the Government. These flights can undertaken to all domestic airports within New Zealand within a matter of hours.

The airline has set up a dedicated Covid-19 information hub on its website and customers are encouraged to consult this in the first instance.