Masterton mayor Garry Daniell says the district is reeling from a decision by Air New Zealand to end flights to and from the town.
The airline says it will end its Masterton - Auckland service from February because it is no longer economically viable.
Mr Daniell said the move came as a surprise, as he was given an assurance six months ago that the flights were not under threat.
Until a few days ago, he said, Air New Zealand was even talking about the possibility of expanding the service.
He said Masterton has spent more than $1 million on the runway and terminal since 2009, and the loss will be devastating.
In December, Air New Zealand will also end a service between Whanganui - Wellington.
