Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
The Associate Transport Minister is hosing down calls for subsidies for regional flights.
Air New Zealand's chief executive Nikhil Ravishankar told RNZ the subsidies might be needed to keep some routes operating when demand is low.
In a statement, the Minister James Meager said Air New Zealand had not formally approached the government about any financial subsidies for its routes.
"Any decision to provide taxpayer funding to the airline would have be carefully considered and balanced against pressing health, education and infrastructure needs," Meager said.
"We'd encourage Air New Zealand to focus on its own commercial operations, before looking to government for assistance."
The idea for subsidies was also backed by Whakatāne's new mayor Nándor Tánczos - a former Green Party MP.
Air New Zealand flights to the town ended about a decade ago with the closure of Eagle Airways, and the Air Chathams flights between Whakatāne and Auckland were at risk this year until new government loan scheme was introduced.
Tánczos said his council had been helping Air Chathams via a loan, marketing support, and relief in landing fees to keep the service alive after the airline faced a financial hit during the Covid-19 response.
"It's not really the job of councils to subsidise a business so we've had to kind of draw a line under that and we've been very fortunate that they've been able to sign now an interline agreement with Air New Zealand, I know they're making some applications to some government funds.
"But really central government has a role because this is critical infrastructure really."
He was adamant any such subsidies should not just go to Air New Zealand but also smaller airlines like Air Chathams.
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