Air New Zealand Link

Air New Zealand Link
IATA ICAO Callsign
NM
NZ		 NZM
RLK		 MOUNTCOOK
LINK
Founded 1991 (1991)[1]
Hubs Auckland
Christchurch
Wellington
Frequent-flyer program Airpoints
Alliance Star Alliance (affiliate)
Fleet size 50
Destinations 20
Parent company Air New Zealand
Headquarters "The Hub"
Western Reclamation, Auckland City
Key people Christopher Luxon, CEO
Carrie Hurihanganui
John Hambleton[2]
Website www.airnewzealand.co.nz

Air New Zealand Link is a brand name under which two regional airlines operate feeder flights for Air New Zealand. They primarily connect regional centres with New Zealand's three main international airports.

History

Air New Zealand Link was formed as the brand name for regional services in 1991, covering the three airlines Air New Zealand had purchased interests in; Eagle Airways, Mount Cook Airline and Air Nelson.[1] The three airlines were purchased as Air New Zealand found it not viable to operate its own regional services due to the introduction of new competition, Ansett New Zealand.[3]

The airlines were purchased as below:

  • Mount Cook Airline - Initial stake purchased by NAC in 1973, increased to 30% on 5 December 1983, then to 77% in October 1985, and finally 100% on 18 April 1991.
  • Air Nelson - 50% stake purchased by Air New Zealand in October 1988, increased to 100% in 1995.[4]
  • Eagle Airways - 50% stake purchased by Air New Zealand in October 1988, which grew to 100% in 1995.[3]

Eagle Airways was gradually wound down and ended operations in 2016.

Fleet

As of 31 December 2017 the Air New Zealand Link carriers operate the following aircraft:

Airline Aircraft In Service Orders Passengers Notes
Air Nelson Bombardier Q300 23 - 50 [5]
Mount Cook Airline ATR 72-500 7 - 68 [6]

An additional 15 ATR72-600s were ordered in November 2015, these will be replacing the existing 11 ATR72-500s. Deliveries will start end of 2016.[7]

ATR 72-600 20[8] 9 68
Total 50 9

Destinations

As of April 2018 Air New Zealand Link flies to the following destinations:

City IATA ICAO Airport Mt Cook Nelson Notes
AucklandAKLNZAAAuckland Airport
BlenheimBHENZWBWoodbourne Airport
ChristchurchCHCNZCHChristchurch International Airport
DunedinDUDNZDNDunedin Airport
GisborneGISNZGSGisborne Airport
HamiltonHLZNZHNHamilton Airport
HokitikaHKKNZHKHokitika Airport
InvercargillIVCNZNVInvercargill Airport
KerikeriKKENZKKKerikeri Airport
NapierNPENZNRHawke's Bay Airport
NelsonNSNNZNSNelson Airport
New PlymouthNPLNZNPNew Plymouth Airport
Palmerston NorthPMRNZPMPalmerston North Airport
QueenstownZQNNZQNQueenstown Airport
RotoruaROTNZRORotorua Regional Airport
TaupoTUONZAPTaupo Airport
TaurangaTRGNZTGTauranga Airport
TimaruTIUNZTURichard Pearse Airport
WellingtonWLGNZWNWellington International Airport
WhangareiWRENZWRWhangarei Airport

References

  1. 1 2 "Air Nelson Company Facts". Archived from the original on 25 May 2010. Retrieved 19 October 2010.
  2. ↑ "Air Nelson Company Structure" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 May 2010. Retrieved 19 October 2010.
  3. 1 2 "Eagle Airways History". Archived from the original on 12 June 2007. Retrieved 19 October 2010.
  4. ↑ "Company Facts". Air Nelson. Air Nelson. Retrieved 30 October 2013.
  5. ↑ "Air Nelson Fleet". Retrieved 16 October 2010.
  6. ↑ "Air New Zealand Fleet".
  7. ↑ "Air New Zealand buys 15 new planes for regional routes". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 5 November 2015.
  8. ↑ "19th 600 delivered". MRC Aviation. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
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