Air New Zealand is to commence regular services between Oamaru and Christchurch on 7 August, making a total of 26 destinations around New Zealand for the airline.
The new service, which will be operated by Air New Zealand Link carrier Eagle Air using a chartered J32 19 seat turbo-prop aircraft, marks a return to Oamaru for the airline after some 17 years.

Initially, there will be six return flights per week with one return trip daily Monday - Friday during peak morning and evening times, and a Friday night departure with return to Oamaru on Sunday. Sales of the new service commence Thursday this week.

Air New Zealand Group General Manager Norm Thompson said the airline was delighted to once again provide Oamaru with an air service and, given the support of the local business community, is confident that it will be well utilised.

“This new service is a good example of Air New Zealand’s commitment to support the smaller regional communities of New Zealand by providing direct links to the larger centres,” said Mr Thompson.

“To this end, our domestic network is continually under review and if we do not have the available 19 seat aircraft ourselves we will use our support operators, Vincent Aviation or Air National, as we currently do on a number of other regional routes.

An added advantage is that the use of the chartered aircraft will free up one of ours and enable Eagle Air to provide extra Christchurch-Wanaka services during the peak travel ski season,” he said.
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