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Air NZ cuts flights to Gisborne

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Air NZ cuts flights to Gisborne

3News NZ

It's the first time in 11 years the airport has increased landing fees

It's the first time in 11 years the airport has increased landing fees

First it was trains, and now plane services are being cut into Gisborne.

Just weeks after KiwiRail scrapped plans to re-open the Napier to Gisborne freight line, Air New Zealand has announced it's reducing the number of flights into the city from Auckland and Wellington.

It's blaming the airport's decision to increase landing fees, but Chamber of Commerce president Gavin Murphy can't understand the problem.

"From what I understand, the route's certainly a very profitable one for them," he says. "They're cutting off their nose to spite their face if they reduce capacity on a profitable route if the demand is there."

Mr Murphy says it's the first time in 11 years the airport has increased landing fees.

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Comments

26/10/2012 10:22:22 a.m.

Jo-Ann wrote:

So once again regional towns get a raw deal. The whole country does not revolve around Auckland and Wellington, or does it? If the service is well supported and profitable then why are charges not absorbed or passed on within reason? why pull flights in a knee jerk reaction style or is this just an excuse? When no increases were made in the landing charges for 11 years, was a discount to the cost of flights for passengers ever offered?

26/10/2012 9:51:42 a.m.

Erm... wrote:

I'd say a 106% hike in landing fees is excessive. But hopefully this will open the doors for other operators, and cause flight prices to drop in the long term when there is some competition.