New Zealand’s Sounds Air Dropping More Routes, Selling PC12s

New Zealand’s Sounds Air will accelerate the sale of its five Pilatus PC12 aircraft and axe its scheduled passenger flights to Christchurch (CHC) to try to secure the airline’s long-term future.

“Initiated by Covid, and persisting for the past five years, aviation has been severely hit by an escalating cost and supply chain structure, in conjunction with a very weak New Zealand dollar, that has threatened the viability of all regional airlines and the routes they serve,” reads a statement from Sounds Air CEO Managing Director Andrew Crawford.

Sounds Air operates scheduled passenger flights between Wellington (WLG) and Picton (PCN); Wellington and Nelson (NSN); Wellington and Blenheim (BHE); Paraparaumu/Kapiti Coast (PPQ) and Blenheim; Paraparaumu/Kapiti and Nelson; Christchurch and Blenheim; and Christchurch and Wanaka (WKA).

Both the Christchurch services will end on September 28, 2025. Crawford says he is "devastated" by the outcome, which will adversely impact passengers who regularly fly to Christchurch for medical treatment, and also lead to the loss of ten jobs. However, he says Sounds Air was “forced into this position after five years of fighting for a solution.”

Last year, Sounds Air also axed its Wellington to Taupo (TUO) and Wellington to Westport/Carters Beach (WSZ) services because they were not viable.

Government indifference to regional aviation

Crawford said while passenger demand had never been stronger, it did not offset cost increases. “Aviation is a very price sensitive market and demand would dry up if he tried to pass all of the cost increases onto our customers,” he added, citing as an example the recent 145% passenger service levy increase imposed by New Zealand’s Civil Aviation Authority as an example of the “endless costs being imposed on aviation businesses and their passengers.”

At the moment, Sound Air’s other scheduled services will continue to operate. But Crawford has consistently said the current state of affairs, and the lack of support from the New Zealand Government, is undermining regional aviation in the country.

“Having exhausted all other options to restore the viability of the business, we seemed to have reached a deadlock,” he wrote. “Government appears to believe that private capital markets will step in to sort this out, while, on the other hand, private capital markets believe that government should step in to level the playing field like they do in other parts of the world.”

Aims to grow Cessna Caravan fleet

Aside from the nine-passenger PC12s, Sounds Air also flies four Cessna 208 Caravans that seat 12 passengers. Crawford said Sounds Air would look to grow the number of Cessna’s used on the Cook Strait crossings.

The five PC12s that Sounds Air will seek to dispose of are ZK-PLB (msn 725), ZK-PLS (msn 363), ZK-PLT (msn 379), ZK-PLX (msn 396), and ZK-PLZ (msn 445).

The remaining four Cessna 208s include ZK-PDM (20800240), ZK-SAA (msn 208B0862), ZK-SAN (msn 20800360), and ZK-SAY (msn 208B0861).

“We have concluded that we will revert to the model that was established in 1987, when Sounds Air was founded – providing high frequency services between the North and South Islands,” said Crawford. "Most people will understand that in business, as in life, sometimes we all have to take a step backwards in order to take a step forward."

Photos: Sounds Air