New Zealand-owned Kiwi Regional Airlines has restated its support for regional direct flights in the wake of Jetstar's announcement of flights connecting a handful of regional centres to Auckland and Wellington.
Chief Executive Ewan Wilson said today, "We are pleased that fliers from these centres now have more choice when connecting with Auckland and Wellington, but we note that still none of the big airlines are offering region to region direct flights, like Kiwi is."
"We also feel for large regional centres like Hamilton, Invercargill, Tauranga, Rotorua and Queenstown who have missed out even on flights to the major cities."
"Kiwi Regional Airlines' pledge to regional centres in our country is that we will always put their needs first when considering future routes."
Wilson said that his company's first aircraft, which arrives tomorrow in Hamilton from Europe, includes both Hamilton and Queenstown in its first route."
"For future routes, Kiwi is already considering how we could service Invercargill, Tauranga and Rotorua, and we will talk to those cities about developing a working relationship."
Kiwi Regional Airlines flights commence on 27 October, and include twice daily direct flights between Dunedin and Queenstown, as well as four return flights weekly between Dunedin and Nelson, and Nelson and Hamilton.
Ewan Wilson CEO Kiwi Regional Airlines