
Regional airline Sounds Air forced to drop routes as it sells part of fleet
Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
Regional airline Sounds Air forced to drop routes as it sells part of fleet
A Sounds Air nine-seater Pilatus PC12 plane. The airline is selling off its PC12 fleet. Photo / NZME
Regional airline Sounds Air is dropping some routes as it sells off part of its fleet amid rising costs.
Sounds Air chief executive Andrew Crawford told Newstalk ZB it was just another blow to regions in this country.
'We just can't keep going with the ever-increasing costs that are being imposed on the business.
'In particular, because everything we buy is in US dollars, the currency is so weak, and costs have gone up so much since Covid, it's just no longer viable to fly some of our fleets.
'We've had over half a million of costs imposed in the last three months that we've really got no way of getting back except for passing onto customers.'

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Otago Daily Times
15 hours ago
- Otago Daily Times
'Brought to its knees': Why NZ can't shake the recession
By Susan Edmunds of RNZ New Zealanders were told to "survive til '25" for the economy to pick up - but now one major bank economist says it's probably going to be 2026 before any real improvement happens. Kiwibank's latest Annual Regional Note shows small improvements across the country, but weak scores overall. The national average score has lifted from three out of 10 to four. Southland and Otago top the table at five. Otago was boosted by a recovery in international tourism and improvement in employment. Northland, Taranaki and Gisborne went backwards. Taranaki had the biggest fall in employment of anywhere in the country, at 8 percent. Northland reported a double-digit drop in building consents. Retail sales remain below their average levels over the past decade in most regions, as weak household confidence weighs on consumption. Kiwibank said Wellington recorded the steepest annual decline at a -3.3 percent, while regions like Waikato, Northland and the Bay of Plenty experienced a slight improvement on last year. 'Wellington is just more pessimistic' Wellington's score improved from a two out of 10 to a three out of 10 while Auckland lifted from a three to four. "Wellington is just more pessimistic," Kiwibank chief economist Jarrod Kerr said. "It's gone through a lot in recent years. You can see it in their activity, you can see it in the housing market. You can see it in the economy, the city has been brought to its knees and it's been struggling to shake the pessimistic vibe." He said both Auckland and Wellington were well below average. "If you look across the regions, some of them have gone backwards and others are improving but it's not good. "When you look at the South Island things are better, people are definitely more optimistic in the South Island but even then the top scoring regions get a five out of 10." He said the report helped solidify the view that rate cuts to date had not been enough to turn around the economy. "We're really crawling out of this recession rather than regaining our footing and looking to grow from here. We're still struggling across the entire country." He said Kiwibank customers last year had talked about needing to hold on until this year. "We are halfway through the year and, yes, things are better but only by a little bit." Worse off than Australia New Zealand was worse off than Australia, he said. "Their economy is much stronger than ours but in their terms it's soft… where everything washes out is the labour market and, you know, the unemployment rate tells you a lot. Our unemployment rate is over 5 percent and theirs is pretty close to 4 percent." Part of the reason was the more aggressive interest rate hikes from the Reserve Bank, he said. "We were much more aggressive in our rate hikes than in Australia. We were much more aggressive on inflation than across the Tasman. "I think both the RBA and RBNZ made mistakes as I think every central bank did through the Covid period, we overstimulated in hindsight but at the time it was the right thing to do. And then we had to deal with the inflation problem." He said the Reserve Bank had kept the official cash rate at 5.5 percent for too long as it worked to tackle inflation. "We had a really bad recession last year, which the Reserve Bank openly orchestrated, they said 'look, we need a recession to get inflation back down'. The Australians didn't orchestrate a recession, they didn't slam the economy into the floor." Kerr said recovery was still coming but he had hoped it would have started more obviously by now. "We're hoping it takes off in the second half of this year as more and more people refix on to lower rates. Then it's more of a 2026 story now."


NZ Herald
2 days ago
- NZ Herald
Auckland supermarkets and liquor stores under fire for selling ‘mega strong' beers
Secretary Grant Hewison said the beers essentially represent a loophole, with RTDs being limited to 6% ABV and no more than two standards per beverage. 'We would describe these products as court cases in a can, especially when they reach past 12%.' He said with these beers, essentially one can leave you intoxicated and unable to drive. Hewison said they're more problematic than other high alcohol products like wine or soju as they're carbonated, so they're consumed quickly. He said the products are sold in single 500ml cans for as cheap as $6, which can be easily stowed in a pocket. Maori Warden Thomas Henry says the super strong beers are part of the public drinking problem in South Auckland Photo / Jason Oxenham Auckland District Māori Wardens chair Thomas Henry said high-alcohol products worsened things for people already struggling with homelessness and mental health issues. He said the beers are part of South Auckland's public drinking problem, creating issues such as an Ōtara playground being removed . Henry said they've been trying to educate liquor stores against selling the beers to vulnerable people. He said it's been frustrating, with owners telling him it's not their job, to tell people what to do. New Zealand supermarkets are taking differing approaches to high-strength beers. Photo / NZME, File Foodstuffs said they work closely with their store owners to ensure alcohol is sold responsibly, including regular staff training and robust ID checks. 'We continue to monitor our range carefully, taking into account legal obligations, customer demand, and community feedback,' a spokesperson said. Woolworths said it removed single cans of more than 7% ABV from all stores after consulting with regulatory agencies and community groups, but continues to sell multi-packs of high-strength beers. Brewers Association Executive Director Dylan Firth is calling for a grounded discussion on the products. Photo/Supplied Brewers Association executive director Dylan Firth said beers over 5% ABV make up only 11% of all sold in New Zealand in the year to March. He said the industry's total volumes of high strength beers has also declined by a third since 2022. Firth said stronger beers are typically specialty or craft offerings intended for moderate consumption. Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee said she's aware of concerns about high-strength beer. Photo / Mark Mitchell Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee said she's aware of concerns high-strength beer and the potential harm irresponsible consumption posed. 'I'm continuing to engage with stakeholders and consider how regulation can reduce alcohol-related harm and contribute to the Government's target of 20,000 fewer victims of violent crime by 2030.' Lachlan Rennie is an Auckland-based Multimedia Journalist for Newstalk ZB covering science, defence, technology, community issues and general news.

RNZ News
2 days ago
- RNZ News
Ngāti Porou CEO George Reedy resigns after four years
Te Runanganui o Ngāti Porou has announced the resignation of its chief executive officer George Reedy. Photo: LDR/Paul Rickard Te Rūnanganui o Ngāti Porou chief executive George Reedy has resigned after years of leading the organisation. His resignation will take effect on August 1, Te Rūnanganui o Ngāti Porou (Tronp) confirmed. Reedy served as chief executive across four of the group's entities: Tronp, Ngāti Porou Oranga and Toitū Ngāti Porou. Mayor Rehette Stoltz said she had the utmost respect for Reedy and his departure from the role would be a significant loss for the region. Council chief executive Nedine Thatcher-Swann said it had been a privilege to work alongside Reedy, and on behalf of council staff she wished him "all the very best in whatever comes next". "It is not often you cross paths with someone whose leadership blends mana, humility and sharp strategic thinking, and that's the kind of leader George Reedy is." Reedy was instrumental in forging a strong relationship between the Rūnanganui and council, she said. His leadership was evident through joint efforts in regional economic development planning and civil defence emergency management, "spaces where trust and collaboration matter most", Thatcher Swann said. Reedy's vision and drive led to the creation of over 150 new jobs and a significant increase in their contracted income, Ngati Porou Tiamana (chairman) Patrick Tangaere said in a statement. "It is with both gratitude and regret that I announce the resignation." Under Reedy's leadership, the iwi navigated "some of the most challenging and turbulent periods", including the Covid-19 pandemic and cyclones Hale and Gabrielle, he said. "George played a pivotal role in the establishment of Ngāti Porou Oranga and the expansion of health, housing and social services for our whānau and communities of Te Tairāwhiti." Tangaere also acknowledged Reedy's role in strengthening Ngāti Porou's strategic relationships with local and national iwi, across government and with other key stakeholders. Reedy left Napier to come home and take up the position, he said. "It was a powerful expression of his service to his iwi, reaffirming his dedication to the people and whenua of Te Tairāwhiti," Tangaere said. The statement did not give a reason for Reedy's resignation. Reedy has been approached for comment. East Coast National MP Dana Kirkpatrick said it had been a privilege to work alongside Reedy, having known him for a few years. They had been delighted with the work he had overseen at the Puhi Kai Iti Community Health Centre, and recently with creating its urgent and after-hours care, which was significant for the people of Ngāti Porou and the region, she said. "He has served the community well, and it has been an honour to work with him." LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.