Westport secures new air service for Wellington connection

Buller Mayor Jamie Cleine confirmed that Council has reached an agreement with Nelson-based regional airline, Originair, to commence from 3 January.

Originair will operate British Aerospace Jetstream aircraft with 18 passenger seats. These pressurised, twin-turboprop aircraft will be flown by a two-pilot crew. Alongside this route, Originair also operates services from Nelson to Palmerston North, Hamilton, and Wellington.

Tania Armstrong, Originair’s Customer Service Manager, said the airline will offer services to and from Westport six days a week, providing more than 11,200 seats annually.

“Morning flights will connect Westport with Wellington from Monday to Thursday, while afternoon services on Fridays and Sundays will cater to leisure travellers, aiming to grow the weekend market between both destinations. These weekend flights alone will offer over 3,700 seats per year.”

The airline’s CEO, Robert Inglis, was pleased to be adding Westport to their regional network.

“We are looking forward to helping grow both business and leisure travel to the Coast. The initial flight schedule reflects current passenger demand, but we are prepared to increase services, including connections to Nelson, as the region’s needs evolve.”

Confirming the decision to suspend Sound’s Air’s Wellington/Westport services, Andrew Crawford, Sounds Air’s Managing Director, has described the decision as "a regrettable outcome driven by the same challenges that continue to impact on Air New Zealand’s own domestic and international services.”

“Having served Westport since 2016, when Air New Zealand withdrew from the route, we have developed some great working relationships with ’The Coast’ and we will work alongside the Buller District Council to ensure that the termination of our services dovetails with the commencement of the new service.”

Mayor Cleine thanked Sounds Air for their nine years of service, emphasising their role in maintaining the critical airlink, a key component in supporting and fostering opportunities for the district to grow.

"Sounds Air has been instrumental in connecting Buller with the capital. We recognise the challenging market conditions that have impacted the route and truly appreciate the great service they have provided over the years."

“We're looking forward to working with Originair to ensure this essential connection continues. I’m very pleased that Originair share in our aspirations to grow the Buller as a destination in its own right.

“The Jetstream aircraft offers a greater number of seats and should appeal to a broader range of leisure and business passengers.

“I encourage the community to champion this service as much as we can, the Buller is open for business and the more we support Originair the more sustainable and affordable the route will be for locals and our visitors.”

Development West Coast (DWC) Chief Executive Heath Milne commended Mayor Cleine’s efforts in securing the service.

“This airlink is vital for the resilience of Buller, especially for the local business community. As our economy continues to grow, having a secure connection to Wellington is more important than ever. It will also help strengthen the visitor market as tourism in the district gains momentum.”

Tourism in Buller is experiencing steady growth, with visitors staying 330,800 nights in the year to June 2024, an increase of 8,000 guest nights from the previous year. Total tourism expenditure in the district rose by 14.6%, reaching $94 million—up $12 million—exceeding the national growth rate of 1.8%, according to economic consultancy Infometrics.

Jessie Creedmore, Chair of Promoting Buller, said the expansion of Westport’s tourism infrastructure is timely, reinforcing the district's proposition as the group prepares to launch a new promotional strategy in partnership with DWC and stakeholders.

"The Buller District is well placed to welcome friends, family and other visitors by air. The launch of Buller Car Rentals and Westport Hire’s plans to add rental cars to their fleet, means visitors have practical and convenient options to explore the area if arriving by air."

She added that with airlines offering short, scenic flights to both Westport and Karamea, along with vehicle hire options, flying into the district has become a really attractive option, including quick breaks away.