Originair has sounded a note of caution following the Government’s announcement of its support package for Air New Zealand.
“We are grateful that the Government sees the need to support the aviation sector, which is critical to the function of New Zealand,” says Originair CEO Robert Inglis.
“What we would like to see now is for Air New Zealand to recognise that airlines such as Originair also have a crucial role to play in providing direct services between domestic locations and that our continued activity is complementary to that of Air New Zealand.”
Inglis said that in the wake of previous significant financial support for the national carrier it chose to price its fares in such a way that it effectively forced smaller operators out of business.
“Now is the time for everyone in the aviation sector to work together. We want to keep Originair services operating for the benefit of all New Zealanders and have every intention of doing so.
“We are maintaining our current schedule and can be flexible to meet demand. We already provide a charter service and we anticipate that more people may be considering chartering our aircraft in the coming weeks. We’re ready to meet those requirements.
“If we have an even playing field on which to operate, Originair can provide a useful and important option for domestic travellers and an essential service for a range of businesses and organisations, including helping to ensure personnel from government departments are able to be where they need to be to achieve their organisational goals.”
