More than 200 seats have already been sold on Sounds Air passenger flights between Wanaka and Christchurch and the first scheduled passenger service doesn’t begin until Monday morning (November 2).

The interregional airline company, which operates in eight other destinations including Wellington, Taupo, Blenheim, Nelson and Westport, has initially scheduled up to three return services per day and up to 15 return flights a week. 

Sounds Air managing director Andrew Crawford said he was “pretty encouraged” by the demand for tickets, saying it reinforces the company’s decision to provide the new daily service.

Flight 710, which has a flight time of 45 to 50 minutes, will depart Wanaka at 8:00am and touch down in Christchurch before 9:00am and with a quick turnaround the aircraft will be back at the Wanaka airport terminal just after 10:00am. Another quick turnaround will have it back in Christchurch by 11:20am, with the final daily return departing Christchurch at 5:20pm and back in Wanaka just after 6:00pm.

The Sounds Air service will be the fourth scheduled passenger air service to operate out of Wanaka Airport. For one reason or another, all the previous operations have ceased, the last being Eagle Air (an Air New Zealand subsidiary) in 2013.

Andrew said Sounds Air’s Wanaka operation has been planned to last. Sounds Air is not a big commercial player, he said, but its success relies on being dynamic and responsive to the communities it serves.

“Flights will start and finish in Wanaka and it must support the regional town’s needs,” he said. 

With morning and night same-day services, allowing locals to spend a full day in Christchurch, the service will be especially good for those conducting business or needing specialist health services available only in the city, he said.

The advantages of the nine-seater Pilatus-12 service is there are no queues and no waiting for baggage at a carousel, Andrew said. 

“This is a service for people who value their time,” he said. “The PC-12 is like a private jet..it’s fast and comfortable...we give you your bag and you’re on your way.” 

Andrew said setting up the operation in Wanaka had been easy, with “zero problems getting local staff” and good support from the airport. Two staff will be based in Wanaka, and being able to re-employ a former Sounds Air staff member here was a bonus.

He said the company had wanted to establish the scheduled passenger service in Wanaka since 2018 but “a few things had got in the way” of plans, such as a shortage of aircraft and COVID-19. Eventually, “the stars aligned” this year.

Andrew said they weren’t planning a big advertising campaign but with 150 seats available each week “all we want is for people to try the experience and spread the word”.

PHOTO: Supplied