Air New Zealand ended direct flights between Invercargill and Wellington last January, blaming the cut on a drop in demand for the service between the two cities.
Mr Campbell is now calling on Southlanders to take part in a survey on air travel, as part of a push for improved air services.
He said more than 36,000 people had viewed his Facebook post on the survey in the past week, which demonstrated how important the issue was to the public.
The most common issues raised by people commenting were related to the cost of domestic air travel and the need to restore the direct flight to Wellington.
"No surprises there, but the more detailed data from the survey will be really important to develop a strategy," he said.
Great South, Southland’s regional development agency and regional tourism organisation, launched the survey via their Facebook page to help build a credible case for improved air services for Southlanders.
Chief executive Chami Abeysinghe said the survey would provide evidence-based understanding of Southlanders’ air travel needs.
"Ultimately, airlines need confidence that routes are sustainable, and our role is to help provide the data and evidence that supports informed decisions about future services.
"The results will help demonstrate demand, understand travel patterns, and show the economic and social impacts of the present air services and highlight any gaps in the service."
In the past data had been used successfully to bring change.
"Previous research directly supported the launch of the Invercargill-Auckland direct service in 2019, which became one of Air New Zealand’s most successful new routes."
Since then the regional context has changed, she said.
"We’ve lost direct flights to Wellington and some of the timing options on the Auckland route, and businesses, community organisations and residents have consistently told us this is creating real challenges."
Being connected by air to the rest of the country was a critical economic enabler for the region, Ms Abeysinghe said.
"Southland is experiencing significant investment and growth across sectors, including renewable energy, aquaculture, agribusiness, data and space-related industries, and reliable air links are essential to support that momentum."
Being well-connected enabled investor visits, access to expertise, business growth and strong connections to national decision-making centres.
Early feedback from the survey showed the loss of direct Wellington services and limited flight timings was increasing travel time, cost and complexity.
"We’re also hearing that these barriers are, in some cases, discouraging travel altogether, which has flow-on impacts for collaboration, investment and participation," she said.
Southland Chamber of Commerce chief executive Sheree Carey said she encouraged businesses to take part in the survey so the region’s needs could be understood.
"Reliable air access is critical for Southland businesses, and as a shareholder, we support Great South to prioritise connectivity in their workplan this year to help ensure the region remains accessible and competitive."
The survey would close on February 15 and she encouraged people to take part.
In October, Allied Media reported that Air New Zealand domestic general manager Kate O’Brien had confirmed the service would not be coming back any time soon.
"We know that the changes made at the end of 2024 have impacted some Southlanders, particularly those who travelled regularly to Wellington. These changes were made in response to softened demand on the route, and those conditions remain."
"Air New Zealand remains deeply committed to Southland, recognising the vital role strong air services play in supporting the region’s people, economy and businesses. It wanted to keep Southland well connected by supporting travellers, businesses and events that helped visitors to discover this special part of Aotearoa," Ms O’Brien said.
