Napier to Wellington flights face cuts as Air New Zealand reduces schedule

• Passengers flying from Napier to Wellington may face disruptions as Air New Zealand cuts 2% of its domestic flight schedule.
• The cuts, affecting off-peak flights, begin February 17 and continue until June 29, 2025.
• Air NZ will contact affected passengers directly with information on changes to their travel.

Passengers planning on flying from Napier to Wellington may face disruption next year as the airline cuts back on its domestic flight schedule.

The airline is finalising which flights will be cut, but said today about 2% of its schedule would be affected between February and June next year.

In October, it also announced cuts to some routes. Air New Zealand has faced flak for high fares, especially to the regions, and while reduced capacity typically leads to higher prices, it says this is not the aim of the latest cuts.

In a statement to Hawke’s Bay Today, an Air NZ spokeswoman said that the removal of routes from Napier and Wellington and vice versa would apply only to off-peak flights.

The first cuts affecting Hawke’s Bay are for flights between February 17 to March 29 2025, where the Saturday 11.35am service from Wellington to Napier and the 1.05pm service from Napier to Wellington, also on Saturdays, will be cut.

Then from March 30 to June 29 2025, Air NZ is removing the Monday to Saturday 11.35am flights and Sunday 1.05pm flight from Wellington to Napier.

They are also removing the Monday to Saturday Napier to Wellington 1.05pm flights along with the 2.45 Napier to Wellington Sunday service.

A spokeswoman from Air NZ said in a statement that anyone with flights booked over this period does not need to reach out to Air NZ and they will be contacting them directly with information on changes to their travel.

Jack Riddell is a multimedia journalist with Hawke’s Bay Today and spent the last 15 years working in radio and media in Auckland, London, Berlin, and Napier. He reports on all stories relevant to residents of the region, along with pieces on art, music, and culture.