Air New Zealand has announced changes to its domestic flight schedule, citing a decrease in demand and ongoing global engine maintenance problems.

These adjustments, which mainly affect regional routes, aim to keep the airline’s operations efficient while maintaining financial sustainability, said Scott Carr, Air New Zealand General Manager Domestic.

Carr explained that the airline is focused on ensuring its domestic network continues to serve communities across the country, but that economic challenges have forced a review.

“Over recent months, we’ve seen domestic demand soften across most customer segments due to a tough economic environment. This has been particularly noticeable on some of our regional routes,” he said.

In addition to softer demand, several aircraft are currently out of service due to global engine maintenance delays, requiring further changes to the schedule.

The key schedule changes are:

•Queenstown–Christchurch: The first flight of the morning from Queenstown to Christchurch will now use an ATR aircraft instead of a jet, departing slightly later at just before 9am. The last flight from Christchurch to Queenstown will now be in the mid-afternoon due to lower demand and daylight restrictions for turboprops. However, there will be an increase of two weekly Auckland jet services to Queenstown.

•Dunedin–Wellington: The morning and evening services between Dunedin and Wellington will now operate with an ATR instead of a jet. Dunedin passengers travelling to Wellington will still arrive by 8.30am, with the return non-stop flight at 4.30pm. Those needing to return later will be able to connect via Christchurch just after 6pm.

•Christchurch–New Plymouth: The late evening flight from Christchurch to New Plymouth, along with the early return flight, will be replaced by midday leisure flights on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays, reflecting higher demand during those times. This results in a reduction of three flights per week on the route.

•Blenheim–Wellington: While total capacity between Blenheim and Wellington will remain unchanged, the first flight of the day will depart slightly later.

Carr said the airline is working to accommodate those already booked on affected flights and acknowledged that these changes might cause inconvenience. “We want to assure our customers that we remain committed to connecting New Zealanders to each other and the world, and we apologise for any disruptions these adjustments may cause,” he said.