New Zealand’s Barrier Air plans to add a fifth Cessna Grand Caravan as it starts to see a pickup in travel demand.
Grant Bacon, CEO Barrier Air, tells Smart Aviation Asia Pacific that a used Cessna Grand Caravan will be ferried from France to New Zealand and have a local registration ZK-SDF. Barrier Air owns its fleet of Caravans, including the fifth aircraft, using bank loans, he adds.
Barrier Air will continue to grow its fleet in the coming years as it expands into additional routes, he says.
The airline says on its website it is launching a thrice-weekly from the coastal city of Tauranga, on New Zealand’s north island, to Great Barrier Island which is off the coast of the north island. The airline’s website fails to mention when the new service starts.
Barrier Air saw a strong local demand outside of lockdown periods, and is just starting to see overseas bookings, says Bacon.
According to its website, Barrier Air flies a total of 93 flights per week across destinations in New Zealand’s North Island such as Auckland, Whitianga, Kaitaia, Great Barrier Island.
Bacon tells Smart Aviation Asia Pacific that the airline is struggling to find ground staff due to the tight labour market. The usual stream of applicants is not there, which is highly unusual, he adds.
Picture Source: Barrier Air
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