Survey Shows Importance Of Airline

Tuesday, 29 April 2025, 7:51 pm
Article: Diane McCarthy - Local Democracy Reporter

A survey of businesspeople asking whether they think Whakatāne District Council should support Air Chathams to continue its Whakatāne to Auckland route received 69 responses in its first week.

Almost all respondents considered it important to retain air services in Whakatāne and more than 60 percent were comfortable with the council providing support to the airline.

Air Chathams chief commercial officer Duane Emeny announced last month that the airline would be discontinuing its air services in and out of Whakatāne over the next six to 12 months if it did not receive support from the council or other sources.

He said the airline had incurred over $1 million in losses from operating the Whakatāne to Auckland route over the past two years.

It had operated successfully out of Whakatāne for the previous eight years because it had a dedicated aircraft that could operate early morning and late afternoon flights, key times for business travel.

Since it became necessary to retire the ageing 18-seat Metroliners in 2023, the airline has not had a dedicated aircraft for Whakatāne. To make the route work financially, it needs support to purchase another aircraft.

It sought help from the council to source a low-interest loan from the Local Government Funding Agency as well as a marketing campaign and for the council to write off a loan of $350,000 it was given to restart flights in the wake of Covid-19 shutdowns.

The Eastern Bay Chamber of Commerce sent the survey out to its 230 members via email and also made it available on its Facebook page, which has around 1600 followers, and LinkedIn which has 255 followers.

While both social media pages are open to the public, the survey was intended to capture local business owners or professionals.

The survey was made available on April 14 and results shared with Air Chathams a week later showed 65 percent of respondents felt comfortable with the council using ratepayer money to support the airline.

Those who felt the air services in and out of Whakatāne were important to maintain made up 98 percent and 67 percent used the airline currently.

Seventy percent said they would sign a petition to put to council to support retaining Air Chathams was 70 percent.

Mr Emeny said comments provided with the survey were quite focused on the schedule not being business friendly.

“If we were to continue and be properly supported by council (or others) then this would be first on our list to amend with a dedicated Saab 340 aircraft,” he said.

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