Barrier Air's bold bid to beat Air New Zealand on the far north route
Barrier Air's 14-seater Cessna Grand Caravan taxis on the tarmac in Kerikeri — the small airline taking big steps to challenge Air New Zealand on regional routes
Regional carrier Barrier Air has successfully carved a niche on the Auckland–Kerikeri route, directly competing with national giant Air New Zealand. Since launching the service in August 2024. Founded in 1983 as Great Barrier Airlines and rebranded in 2015, Barrier Air operates a fleet of six Cessna Grand Caravans, serving routes including Auckland to Kerikeri, Kaitāia, Whitianga, and Aotea/Great Barrier Island, as well as connections from Aotea to Tauranga and North Shore.The airline has sold over 8,000 seats in the first eight months, with plans to double that figure in the coming year.'Each month the passenger numbers continue to grow, and we are grateful to all of our loyal passengers who have travelled with us,' said CEO Grant Bacon. 'We are excited about what the future holds for further expansion on air services into the Far North.'
Barrier Air's entry into Kerikeri was driven by local demand for more travel options, especially amid frequent cancellations by Air New Zealand. To address this, the airline introduced a flat-rate return voucher system priced at $245, valid for any flight within 12 months, offering flexibility and affordability to travelers.
The airline operates 22 return flights weekly between Auckland and Kerikeri, utilizing 14-seater Cessna Grand Caravans. This expansion follows their successful operations in Kaitāia, where they now conduct 34 weekly flights, a significant increase attributed to strong community support.
Far North Mayor Moko Tepania praised the airline's commitment, stating, 'I encourage the 75,000 Far Northeners who call our district home to continue to use and support Barrier Air so that we can ensure that they remain financially viable and continue to provide their services to our remote district.'While the airline had considered expanding to Whangārei, Bacon noted that, due to ongoing industry challenges, this plan is on hold for the current calendar year. 'With the cost base challenges the industry is continuing to face, the idea of operations into Whangārei is something we will continue to monitor, but I do not anticipate a commencement of services into Whangārei this calendar year,' he said.
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Barrier Air's 14-seater Cessna Grand Caravan taxis on the tarmac in Kerikeri — the small airline taking big steps to challenge Air New Zealand on regional routes Regional carrier Barrier Air has successfully carved a niche on the Auckland–Kerikeri route, directly competing with national giant Air New Zealand. Since launching the service in August 2024. Founded in 1983 as Great Barrier Airlines and rebranded in 2015, Barrier Air operates a fleet of six Cessna Grand Caravans, serving routes including Auckland to Kerikeri, Kaitāia, Whitianga, and Aotea/Great Barrier Island, as well as connections from Aotea to Tauranga and North airline has sold over 8,000 seats in the first eight months, with plans to double that figure in the coming year.'Each month the passenger numbers continue to grow, and we are grateful to all of our loyal passengers who have travelled with us,' said CEO Grant Bacon. 'We are excited about what the future holds for further expansion on air services into the Far North.' Barrier Air's entry into Kerikeri was driven by local demand for more travel options, especially amid frequent cancellations by Air New Zealand. To address this, the airline introduced a flat-rate return voucher system priced at $245, valid for any flight within 12 months, offering flexibility and affordability to travelers. The airline operates 22 return flights weekly between Auckland and Kerikeri, utilizing 14-seater Cessna Grand Caravans. This expansion follows their successful operations in Kaitāia, where they now conduct 34 weekly flights, a significant increase attributed to strong community support. Far North Mayor Moko Tepania praised the airline's commitment, stating, 'I encourage the 75,000 Far Northeners who call our district home to continue to use and support Barrier Air so that we can ensure that they remain financially viable and continue to provide their services to our remote district.'While the airline had considered expanding to Whangārei, Bacon noted that, due to ongoing industry challenges, this plan is on hold for the current calendar year. 'With the cost base challenges the industry is continuing to face, the idea of operations into Whangārei is something we will continue to monitor, but I do not anticipate a commencement of services into Whangārei this calendar year,' he said.
