The start-up airline hoping to fly the transtasman route to
Invercargill has pulled out of the proposal, citing concerns
over filling planes from Australia.
The move has prompted Invercargill Mayor Tim Shadbolt, a
proponent of the city's multimillion-dollar runway extension,
to call for southern airports to work together.
Last year, the Otago Daily Times revealed Pacific
Wings, a start-up airline based in Australia, was considering
flying from Invercargill to Brisbane/Sydney several times a
week.
Following Pacific Wings' withdrawal, Mr Shadbolt said
Invercargill Airport, along with Dunedin and Queenstown
international airports, should work more closely to promote
the region.
"We are all in the same boat. We should see the whole region
as a whole destination."
"We could work better rather than competing with each other,"
he said.
Dunedin International Airport chief executive John McCall
said while the southern airports were competing they did work
together on an industry level.
"In the region, people have a choice to drive to one of three
airports. Invercargill is disadvantaged by having only
domestic traffic and only one carrier, but there are
certainly synergies between the airports."
Queenstown Airport chief executive Steve Sanderson said while
Invercargill Airport traditionally took diverted aircraft
from Queenstown, improving technology meant this was becoming
less common.
Norman Elder, in his capacity as chairman of the
council-owned Invercargill City Holdings, said the news of
Pacific Wings pulling out of the route was "disappointing".
Pacific Wings had informed the company before Christmas that
passenger numbers from Australian ports to Invercargill did
not stack up, particularly in the present economic climate.
Cr Elder said the company had spent little on the proposal,
but was still in talks with other airlines, including Pacific
Blue and Air New Zealand, about flying the Invercargill
transtasman route.
"The important thing is we are still on the radar."
Invercargill Airport chief executive Barry Bouton declined to
comment.
hamish.mcneilly@odt.co.nz
