On Friday the Hamilton airline operator's only aircraft - a 34-seat twin turbo-prop Saab 340A - was grounded for unscheduled maintenance.
Kiwi Regional Airlines chief executive Ewan Wilson said there was a problem with a caution light used in pre-start procedures.
Kiwi Regional Airlines' Dunedin-Nelson and Nelson-Hamilton services were cancelled on Friday morning due to the grounding.
While the Saab was out of action Kiwi Regional Airlines called in Air Chathams to run the service using its 50-seat Convair 580.
"It's a stressful couple of hours at the office as you rejig things," Wilson said.
"Never seen an airline go out of their way to help, after a cancelled flight, like this before. Sorted us a new flight asap," Prinsloo said.
He said the service even beat that of Dubai airline Emirates.
Murray Horn congratulated the airline for finding "a mighty workhorse" replacement to keep passengers happy.
Wilson said Air Chathams ran most of Kiwi Regional Airlines' scheduled services on Friday and Saturday using its own pilots, cabin crew, engineers, fuel and catering.
"We just pay a sum and they run the service.
Passengers were offered a full refund, a next day flight or to be booked on alternative services.
Kiwi Regional Airlines would announce a new route network and schedule on Tuesday which would begin on May 14, Wilson said.
An announcement regarding a second aircraft would be made a few days later.
A second aircraft would join the fleet to provide back up to the existing aircraft and for charter services, he said.
It would not be used for extra capacity on regular passenger services.
- Stuff
JOHN ANTHONY
Last updated 16:00, February 29 2016