Air New Zealand Link

Air New Zealand Link was a brand name under which Air New Zealand's subsidiary regional airlines operate flights. They primarily connect regional centres with New Zealand's three main international airports, Auckland Airport, Wellington International Airport, and Christchurch International Airport. The regional airlines have since been combined with their parent Air New Zealand. They were Mount Cook Airline, Air Nelson and Eagle Airways.

Air New Zealand Link
IATA ICAO Callsign
NM
NZ		 NZM
RLK		 MOUNTCOOK
LINK
Founded1991 (1991)[1]
HubsAuckland
Christchurch
Wellington
Frequent-flyer programAirpoints
AllianceStar Alliance (affiliate)
Fleet size52
Destinations20
Parent companyAir New Zealand
Headquarters"The Hub"
Western Reclamation, Auckland City
Key peopleJeff McDowall, Acting-CEO
Carrie Hurihanganui
John Hambleton[2]
Websitewww.airnewzealand.co.nz

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, 77% in October 1985, and 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 increased to 100% in 1995. Its operations ended in 2016.[3]

Fleet

As of 30 April 2019 the Air New Zealand Link carriers operate the following aircraft.

Airline Aircraft Number in service Orders Passenger seats Notes
Air Nelson Bombardier Q300 23 - 50 [5]
Mount Cook Airline ATR 72-500 7 - 68 [6][7]
ATR 72-600 22 7 68
Total 52 7

Destinations

As of June 2019 Air New Zealand Link flies to the following destinations.

City IATA ICAO Airport Mt Cook Nelson
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. "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. "Eagle Airways History". Archived from the original on 12 June 2007. Retrieved 19 October 2010.
  4. "Company Facts". 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.
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