Air New Zealand is scrapping its Christchurch-Tokyo route, sparking criticism from local business leaders and the city’s Mayor.
The airline will axe one of the last remaining long haul flights from Christchurch after announcing there would be no more summer seasonal service.
Air NZ offered year-round flights on the route until 2009, before reducing them to summer service only.
The airline is adding capacity on its Auckland-Tokyo route after it said most passengers had ‘no clear preference to fly into Christchurch’.
While we accept this decision is disappointing for Christchurch tourism stakeholders, the impact on the total number of seats the airline will operate into Christchurch is minimal," Air NZ said in a statement.
Christchurch mayor Lianne Dalziel said the decision to end the flights ‘makes no sense’ as the route was profitable.
"Air New Zealand need to consider the overall economic impact of their decisions. This isn’t just about plane landings or passenger numbers into a particular airport, it’s about the economic benefit that accrues from having direct international linkages into the South Island," said Peter Townsend, chief executive of the Canterbury Employers’ Chamber of Commerce.
Air New Zealand said travellers from Japan prefer to fly direct to Auckland and the extra cost of flying direct to Christchurch was not sustainable.
