Air service to Wellington reinstated

COMMUNITY pressure has been the major driver in a decision by Air New Zealand to reinstate a regular service between Wanganui and Wellington.
The new service, operated by Air NZ Link carrier Eagle Air, starts on February 12 next year and will provide a daily return service Monday to Friday to the capital city, flying during peak morning and evening times.
An additional Friday night service will fly from Wanganui to Wellington, returning to Wanganui on Sunday.
The announcement revives the service that last operated in 2002.
Before 2002, the Wanganui-Wellington route was flown by Air Nelson using Metroliner aircraft, but when a decision was made to shift into 19-seater Beechcraft turbo-prop aircraft, Air NZ quit the service.
Doug Roberts' general manager of Eagle Air, said the arrival of the Beechcraft planes and a change to the domestic pricing structure has seen domestic passenger number grow exponentially.
That included Wanganui, to the point where the daily service to Auckland had been increased.
Mr Roberts said he had been involved in ongoing talks with the Wanganui District Council's airport management board and the council itself, looking for ways of getting the service back on the schedule.
"All those people have been very supportive and have been advocating the service for the past couple of years," he said.
"If their persistence hadn't been so strong it's doubtful the service would have been revived."
He said the arrival of the Beechcraft and the changes to pricing structure made a southern service more attractive.
"Putting the Wanganui-Wellington service back will work, not only in terms of Wellington-bound traffic but also connections to the South Island and international flights" he told the Chronicle.
"The old service was always a problem because of its timing. But this new service will be perfect.
"It gets people there early and gives them plenty of time to get their business done before catching the evening flight home."
The aircraft doing the new service will also fly to Westport before making its nightly return run to Wanganui.
Eagle Air has a fleet of 16 Beechcraft but is having to lease another one off Vincent Aviation to provide the Wanganui-Wellington service. The plane will be available for servicing in Wellington at the weekends.
"I'm confident it's going to work. I think people will respond to the business timings. I'm sure the local politicians will love it," Mr Roberts said.
Wanganui Mayor Michael Laws said the announcement of the new service was a "fantastic news."
"Anyone who travels by road to Wellington will know that that trip is taking longer and longer due to traffic and road delays and it's only going to get worse," Mr Laws said.
"And it's really good news for Wanganui for two other reasons ? the fact it will mean a great deal commercially and for those who want to travel south. Until now a lot of Wanganui people travelling internationally have had to go through Auckland, or drive to Wellington and leave their cars parked there."
Ticket sales for the new service start today.