Don Good: Waikato Chamber of Commerce CEO on the new Air NZ domestic service between Hamilton and Christchurch

Hamilton's first domestic jet service in 25 years will connect thousands of people to Christchurch every year. 

Air New Zealand's Airbus A320 service will operate alongside two smaller planes, to be deployed to other parts of the regional network. 

From today the 171-seat domestic jet will leave Christchurch at 3pm five days a week and return from Hamilton just after 5pm. 

Waikato Chamber of Commerce CEO Don Good told Mike Hosking Air NZ wouldn’t have put a plane on that route if there wasn’t demand. 

He says they’ve seen the opportunity and believe that it will grow. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Good day for the Waitekato as the previously announced jet
service between Hamilton and christ Church takes off air and
Z will run it five days a week, first domestic
jet service for a quarter century. Don Good is the
Whitekatta Chamber of Comma's Bosses with us morning.

Speaker 2 (00:11):
How are you this morning? Mike?

Speaker 1 (00:12):
Very well? Indeed, does it feel like this is going
to be impactful or a game changer?

Speaker 2 (00:19):
It certainly is going to increase the capacity on that
that ere, that's for sure, and it will certainly bring
christ Edge and a lot closer to the Waitekatto, which
is great.

Speaker 1 (00:29):
Do you think if they build it people will come?
Is this about just you know, different planes or is
it about actually growing a market?

Speaker 2 (00:37):
I think they've had excess demand on those routes already
and that's why they're putting the aircraft on. They wouldn't
do it otherwise.

Speaker 1 (00:45):
Is there a convenience factor as the schedule changes that
you know, easier for people to get from one place
to another.

Speaker 2 (00:52):
Certainly easier to get to christ Hitch by ear from
the White Ghatto, that's for sure.

Speaker 1 (00:58):
What about jet Star they're doing some international stuff as well.
Is it one of those things where they're going to battle,
someone's going to pay the price, and you're going to
be back to square one where you think this is sustainable.

Speaker 2 (01:10):
A couple of things. One, I think certainly this competition,
which is a wonderful thing. But I do think they
wouldn't have made the decision to put an A through
twenty on that route if there wasn't the demand. So
I suspect that they've both seen the opportunity and believe
that it will grow.

Speaker 1 (01:28):
And do you think it's a two way demand? People
will come to your place and spend I believe so.

Speaker 2 (01:34):
I think that's already happening. The two economies of Canterbury
and the White Kado have a lot in common and complimentary,
so I do see that this will grow and grow.

Speaker 1 (01:45):
Good stuff Don fly Well today is on the inaugural
flight Don good the Wekatto Chamber of Commerce CEO. For
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