Air New Zealand's new chief executive, Nikhil Ravishankar. Photo: Supplied / Air NZ
There is firm support from Whakatāne's mayor for state subsidies of regional flights.
Air New Zealand's new chief executive has signalled on RNZ's Checkpoint the government might have to step in to keep planes to smaller centres going.
Nikhil Ravishankar said it would be a "situational subsidy" when the economy was not doing well and demand was low.
Air New Zealand left Whakatāne about a decade ago when it shut down Eagle Airways.
Until a recent government loan scheme, Air Chathams flights to and from Auckland were at risk as well.
Nándor Tánczos advocated the government stepping in on the basis that airports were critical lifelines for communities such as Eastern Bay of Plenty. Photo: supplied
Nándor Tánczos told Morning Report the council had to draw a line with its own support for Air Chathams, which included a loan and relief for landing fees.
But he said it was not the job of councils to subsidise businesses.
"So I'm a strong advocate that government should be stepping in," he said.
"These are really critical lifelines for communities like ours, but they have to make sure it doesn't just go to Air New Zealand but it goes to small airlines like Air Chathams."
Tánczos said Tauranga and Rotorua were about an hour away and Whakatāne Airport served people across Eastern Bay of Plenty and up the coast.
"It's critical, it's a critical connection for us," he said.
The mayor said a government subsidy did not have to be permanent and could be linked to a proper business case and treated as help during hard times.
"We haven't had a business-friendly flight which allows our local business people to get up to Auckland or to other cities at a reasonable hour," he said.
"So yeah, it's very important for us."
Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
