Poor synergy hobbles provincial plane passengers

Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones broadside at Air New Zealand has struck a chord with Maori in the provinces.

Mr Jones has criticised the national carrier for axing services to many centres as it retires its fleet of smaller planes, leaving airlines like Air Chathams to pick up the slack.

Graham Hingangaroa Smith, the former chief executive of Whakatane-based Te Wananga o Awanuirangi, says while Air Chathams provides a good services, it is unable to integrate its service with the larger airline.

That can affect passengers through missed connections and trouble switching between flights.

"It’s the adjunct services and the connectivity to the big airlines that create disconnection and if you’re hobbling or you have to find your way to an Air New Zealand flight, often you have to race across the airport, so it could be improved a heck of a lot in terms of that synergy between the two," Professor Smith says.
 

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