Ticket fares on some New Zealand internal routes have soared over the past 12 months. Photo / Mark Mitchell
The high cost of domestic air travel is expected to keep Kiwis grounded as the cost of living crisis bites.
Flights within New Zealand have jumped in price, with some up to three times what they were just months ago.
This week, Air New Zealand return flights from Auckland to Wellington hit $700 - 180 per cent higher than the $250 a return ticket could be picked up for a year ago.
Other routes faced similar price hikes, with fully refundable tickets from Auckland to Christchurch, booked more than a week out, more than $850 return.
Flights from Wellington to Christchurch were upward of $600 return and Christchurch to Queenstown were close to $850 return.
The same routes months ago could be snapped up for a few hundred dollars.
Prices dropped dramatically if booked months in advance. Online ticketing sites showed prices for the same Auckland to Wellington and Auckland to Christchurch route dropped from around $800 return to $400 return. Tickets were cheaper still at $200 return for a seat and carry on price.
The price hike has consumers fuming, with some saying they will forgo travel or take a train or bus to avoid spending thousands on a family trip that would normally cost hundreds.
With a cost of living crisis in full effect, non-essential air travel was one of the first expenses to go.
One woman who books numerous flights each week for a large business said prices would not kerb the business spend but she couldn’t afford any personal trips.
“We have staff who have to travel so we just have to wear the cost but if it gets to the stage we have to oncharge the cost of flights to a client there may be push back,” she said.
The woman said others within the business had booked themselves on a coach or train because air travel was too costly.
“One of the bosses here has taken a train because it was way cheaper and there wasn’t all the mucking around at the airport.
“If prices don’t come down soon people will change how they work or find another way to travel.”
Others had decided to forgo trips because of the cost.
“People just don’t have $800 per person to go to Wellington,” she said.
“They will find another way or like me, just not go.”
Air New Zealand chief executive Greg Foran blamed a reduced fleet and said the national carrier was hoping to reduce the cost of fares with more planes on the way.
“We have our three new domestic A321neos arriving, the first today, the second will be in service by Christmas, and the third early next year,” Foran said.
“Each will add 46 additional seats each domestically.”
With more planes, prices would start to moderate, he said.
Foran said: “We are still doing everything that we can to bring capacity back as quickly as we can in also ensuring that our opening price points are there and available for customers.”
International travel had experienced an even steeper price hike than domestic travel, with long-haul Boeing 777s put into storage during the pandemic.
Foran said these were now being brought out of retirement and four were already back in New Zealand and in operation.
He said another was expected to arrive in December, another in March and then the seventh would touch down in New Zealand in June.”
“The last three 777s will add an additional 14,000 seats total per week into the schedule, with each 777 adding around 4800 seats per week,” he said.
Airlines were also playing catch up with staff numbers and training.
“It’s not just getting the planes. It’s also making sure that you’ve got the pilots to fly them. You’ve got the crew. And you’ve got the engineers to maintain them.
“We’ve bought back 2200 staff since the beginning of the year. They need to be trained and you know, re-calibrated and qualified.
“So that’s happening at world record pace.”
Consumer NZ said unless New Zealanders made other travel plans they had no choice but to shoulder these rising fares.
Booking as early as possible and being flexible with times and dates helped reduce costs.
“Generally speaking, people who book the earliest pay the least,” Jessica Walker from Consumer said.
“When flights are in demand, for example during the school holidays and over Christmas, the cheaper tickets sell well in advance.”