The underside of a Barrier Air plane as it departs Auckland for Great Barrier Island. Photo: RNZ / Kate Newton
The chief executive of Barrier Air, says keeping fares down is a huge challenge, with the cost of aircraft parts up five-fold since Covid. Barrier Air flies to Great Barrier Island, the Far North, Whitianga and Tauranga.
Small regional airlines are struggling - Sounds Air is cutting two regional services and selling aircraft, while Air Chathams is considering cutting back services, because of mounting costs. The latest is a hike in the price of air traffic control, charged by Airways NZ, which follows a rise in Civil Aviation levies.
Barrier Air Chief Executive Grant Bacon says his airline staff are often verbally abused by passengers for the cost of their airfares, but they are doing everything they can to keep prices down. Kathryn also speaks with Simon Wallace, chief executive of the Aviation Industry Association, which says the government needs to step in to support regional air travel.
