Change to times but same number of flights

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

Changes to Air New Zealand's early morning flight schedule from Gisborne to Auckland and Wellington will remain in place until March 24 while the airline tries to secure suitable accommodation for its pilots and cabin crew in Gisborne.

New Zealand's national carrier has been criticised by businesspeople and travellers alike for its decision to change to a later departure time for the first flights out of Gisborne bound for Auckland and Wellington from next week.

Customers who had already booked flights told The Herald it had caused them major disruptions, especially those who were connecting to international flights.

Gisborne Chamber of Commerce president Belinda Mackay said it would negatively affect businesspeople needing to get to Auckland or Wellington for morning meetings.

Responding to The Gisborne Herald's queries, the airline yesterday stressed it had not cancelled any flights and would continue to operate the same number of flights in and out of Gisborne.

“For the next few weeks only from February 14, the first flights out of the city in the morning will depart slightly later — at 7.55am to Auckland and 8.30am to Wellington,” Air New Zealand regional affairs manager Jason Dawson said.

“The flights into Gisborne in the evening will also depart slightly earlier — at 6.05pm from Auckland and 6.50pm from Wellington.

“This is to allow for the aircraft, its crew and pilots to make the journey to Gisborne, operate these services and be back home in the evenings,” Mr Dawson said.

Due to a shortage of commercial accommodation in Gisborne, Air New Zealand was unable to secure the number of rooms it needed to accommodate overnighting crew and pilots and made a temporary tweak to its schedule as a result, he said.

This was a temporary change while they worked on a solution with a hotel provider.

“This still allows our customers plenty of options for connecting international flights, with many departing in the afternoon and or evening.”

Mr Dawson said the small number of customers who had booked before the changes and were on early morning connecting flights across the Tasman had been reaccommodated and provided with hotel accommodation in Auckland “as a gesture of goodwill to ensure they make their connecting flights”.