Masterton's new high-flying Eagle Air service has quickly become one of Air New Zealand's most successful provincial links.
A head count of passengers using the link to Auckland by the Times-Age from Monday to Friday last week found there was an average of 15 passengers on board each 19-seat flight, equating
to a 79 per cent average occupancy rate across the week.
The lowest number of passengers was 12, on both Tuesday night's arriving flight and Wednesday morning's departing flight, while the highest was a full-capacity 19 on Tuesday morning and Friday night. Across the week 153 people used the service, which was launched just over a month ago after $1.17 million was spent upgrading Hood Aerodrome and building a terminal building.
Eagle Air general manager Grant Kerr was rapt with the take-up so far. "We're very pleased with the popularity of our new service, and thank the Masterton and wider Wairarapa community for their support, which we hope will continue to ensure the future success of the service."
Masterton Mayor Garry Daniell was also delighted with the take-up and understands the Masterton to Auckland link had the highest passenger capacity of any Eagle Air service.
"I have been down to the terminal on a number of occasions inquiring with people as to their purpose for travelling," he said. "There's been a wide range of uses, including people coming down to do business.
"The one that really pleased me was an elderly couple who took the morning flight to Auckland to visit their son and returned that night."
Mr Daniell was pleased the service's popularity showed it was money well spent.
"I had optimism from the start and I guess that has been borne out. In spite of a lot of predictions to the contrary, the service is holding up remarkably well.
"One of the things people have been concerned about is that fares bought at short notice are relatively expensive.
"I do wonder if there is a case for there to be some lower fares for those later bookings.
"It would seem to me better to have flights filled by a lower fare than perhaps having people shy away with expense as a barrier."
