Holiday Blow: Air NZ axes regional flights right as winter and school break begins

If you were planning to fly the family to see friends and loved ones or take a winter break between late June and July, you need to check your inbox.

Air New Zealand has confirmed another round of "consolidations", cutting dozens of flights right in the middle of the July school holiday period.

The airline says the move is a response to the "ongoing impact of high fuel costs" from the war in Iran.

But for families on the ground, the timing couldn't be worse.

With the school break running from 4 to 19 July, these cuts hit at the exact moment travel demand peaks and could likely drive up the price of the few seats that are left.

Nelson in the South Island is bearing the brunt of the latest axe.

Mayor Nick Smith said on Thursday that 70 flights are being pulled across the Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch routes between 29 June and 26 July.

He says this is the third time the region has been hit since the war in Iran started, bringing the total number of lost seats to a staggering 12,000.

Holiday headache: Air New Zealand has announced a fresh round of regional flight cuts across, hitting just as families prepare to travel for the July school holidays.

"This is likely to affect seat availability and prices as well as reduce Air NZ's ability to manage disruptions including weather-related delays and cancellations," Smith said in a statement.

The mayor warned that for Nelson, this isn't just about holidays. It’s about people being able to "access healthcare" and do their jobs.

For Pacific families in the region, losing these flights makes it even harder to stay connected with "aiga" across the country during the one time of year the kids are off school.

It’s a similar story in the Bay of Plenty. MP Tom Rutherford confirmed to the media that 44 return flights are being removed from Tauranga during the same four-week period.

While the airline claims most people can still travel on the same day, the loss of these services makes it much harder for families to find "cheap seats" that usually make a family trip possible.

Disconnected: Nelson Mayor Nick Smith says the loss of 12,000 seats is "disappointing news" that will make it harder for locals to work, access healthcare, and visit family during the winter break. Photo/RNZ/Dom Thomas

Why is this happening?

Air New Zealand told RNZ that these changes only affect about "two per cent of passengers".

The airline claims they have targeted the cuts to ensure most people can still fly on their intended day.

"We've targeted the consolidations to minimise disruption and to ensure that the vast majority of impacted customers can still travel on the same day," the airline says.

But with no sign of the oil crisis slowing down, Mayor Smith says the news is "disappointing" but "understandable."

For Pacific families in the regions, the fear is that these "temporary" holiday cuts will price families out of the sky entirely.

Pacific-wide crisis: Island 'lifelines' under threat

While Air New Zealand cuts its domestic services, a much bigger crisis is unfolding across the Pacific.

From Fiji to Vanuatu, the cost of flying and even putting petrol in the car is skyrocketing as the Middle East conflict hits home.

The region’s biggest carrier, Fiji Airways, has been forced to suspend its Nadi to Dallas service from 7 September.

CEO Paul Scurrah says the decision is due to the "ongoing impact of high jet fuel prices and changes in passenger demand."

He noted that fuel prices have "more than doubled since the start of the year," putting massive pressure on every flight.

Solomon Airlines is bringing in a temporary fuel levy and has pushed international fares up by as much as 17 per cent.

Squeezed at the gate: File photo of travellers at Nadi International Airport: With Fiji Airways suspending its Dallas route and fuel prices more than doubling this year, the cost of staying connected to home is becoming a major hurdle for families across the Pacific. Photo/Tourism Fiji

CEO Matthew Findlay has said the moves are a necessary response to "sustained fuel cost pressures," with fuel costs alone jumping by 70 per cent on the airline’s domestic routes.

On the ground in Vanuatu, families were hit with a massive 34 per cent jump in petrol prices this month.

In his address to the nation, Prime Minister Jotham Napat said: “These developments are beyond the control of the government and are affecting countries worldwide, not Vanuatu alone.”

With fuel costs making many Pacific routes "loss-making," more cancellations and fare hikes are likely throughout the winter months, making the dream of a trip home even harder for our community.