Public left in dark by Ozjet
A Report by Grant Miller in the Manawatu Standard says that Manawatu travellers planning holidays in Australia are starting to lose patience with OzJet Airlines, travel agents warn.
Less than three months before OzJet starts trans-Tasman flights from Palmerston North, the small Australian airline is yet to confirm flight schedules and ticket prices.
“They should’ve moved by now,” said Palmerston North Travel Smart managing director Alan Krivan yesterday. “We haven’t heard a thing.”
Air New Zealand’s trans-Tasman Freedom Air service will stop at the end of March and OzJet plans to take over at Palmerston North, but details for potential customers wanting to book flights are yet to emerge.
It is also unclear where flight crews and engineering services will be based.
Feilding United Travel agent Diane Flyger said some people are looking to firm up travel plans for the April school holidays. “They don’t want to wait and then be left in the lurch,” she said. They also risk missing deals available at the moment, she said.
“Everyone was excited [when OzJet announced in October its impending arrival], but maybe now they’re asking what, how, when . . .”
Palmerston North Airport chief executive Garry Goodman said the airport has been given a draft schedule, but that is yet to be confirmed and can’t be made public. The airline would be aware it could start losing sales opportunities, he said.
However, Stephen Parsons, owner of Stephen Parsons House of Travel, said OzJet’s delays in announcing schedules have had “no impact whatsoever”. “People are still very positive about having OzJet here,” he said.
Mr Krivan said his business “might’ve had the odd query” but there were “not zillions of people” disappointed that schedules were still not available.
Development of the schedules was “progressing positively”, according to Destination Manawatu.
That organisation has been looking at the mix of likely customers – business and leisure travellers in and out of Australia, as well as “potentially some freight”, said Destination Manawatu chief executive Kathy Gibson.
“We know the inbound market segment well, having [worked] in the Australian market for five years. We have had to research the business segment and engage with our neighbouring regions . . . given that Palmerston North International Airport is used as a gateway to the lower North Island.”
Destination Manawatu representatives visited OzJet’s Melbourne head office in early December.
OzJet chief executive Willie O’Neill was unavailable for comment yesterday, but he indicated flight schedules would soon be available.
A Report by The Mole from the Manawatu Standard
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