Wairoa District Mayor Craig Little said the Sunair service, which will begin in late June, provides residents with another option.
“Cyclone Gabrielle highlighted our isolation issues and the vulnerability of the routes into and out of Wairoa,” Little said. “Any additional connectivity layer must be a win for our community.
“We recognise that due to our small population base, there will be limitations around this service and that the fares will not be the same as regional fares. However, at a time when we have lost so much, it is great to have a new service and option for our district. Thank you to everyone who has been involved in making this happen.”
Gisborne Mayor Rehette Stoltz said adding to the direct transport options between Gisborne and Napier was crucial.
“We know our roading network is fragile. The direct flights offered by Air New Zealand were very popular and having more choices will contribute to a healthy, productive relationship between us and our Hawke’s Bay neighbours,” Stoltz said.
Sunair Aviation flight operations manager Dan Power said the company had seen a need.
“We are very happy to do our bit to support East Coast communities. Even though the road network is operational, some people may be reluctant to travel by road. It is good to be able to offer travellers an alternative, and we are very grateful for the support of Hawke’s Bay, Wairoa and Gisborne airports to allow us to offer this service.”
The schedule connects Napier, Gisborne, and Wairoa with daily flights (six-passenger capacity per flight) from Monday, June 26, on weekdays. Gisborne has two flights each day, and there are two return flights daily between Napier and Wairoa.
“Fares are $240 incl GST one way between Gisborne and Napier,” Power said. “And thanks to the support being offered by Hawke’s Bay Airport and Wairoa District Council, we are able to reduce the Napier-Wairoa airfares to $190.”
The carrier is also introducing a new once-daily departure between Napier and Tauranga return via Gisborne.
