AIANZ CE Simon Wallace features on RNZ

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Aviation Industry Association CE Simon Wallace, featured on RNZ this week. Morning Report states: Government loans to keep small airlines afloat.

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Government loans to keep small airlines afloat by Morning Report, RNZ

The Aviation Industry Association’s chief executive Simon Wallace called it a critical lifeline for small passenger airlines.

“We’ve lost several regional routes in the last year in the face of unsustainable cost structures,” he said.

“So, we are very pleased that the government has listened and has responded.”

But he said the escalation of fees and levies regional carriers were facing made regional routes “increasingly less viable”.

Digital upgrades to integrate regional transport booking with the platforms of major providers would remove barriers to air travel from smaller centres by streamlining bookings and baggage-handling.

“For example, this should make it possible for someone to fly from Whakatane or the Kāpiti Coast to London on a single boarding pass and check their luggage all the way to the final destination.”

Read the full article or listen here.

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