Air New Zealand reduces trans-Tasman flying to a trickle

Air New Zealand's capacity to Australia will be reduced to a trickle from March 30 with services either reduced or suspended. The New Zealand carrier will operate just five routes between March 30 and June 30, suspending 13 others. The cuts follow the airline’s announcement Monday of an unprecedented 85 percent reduction in long-haul flying and a 30 percent cut in domestic capacity. The airline said it was also looking at redundancies as it responds to the increase in travel restrictions, including those imposed by the New Zealand and Australian governments requiring nearly everyone entering the countries to self-isolate. It also comes as the Qantas Group announced a 90 percent cut in long-haul flying and a whopping 60 percent reduction in domestic capacity. READ: Massive Qantas cuts see international capacity slashed by 90 percent. The surviving AirNZ trans-Tasman routes all face frequency reductions with Wellington -Sydney and Christchurch-Sydney down to two return services a week. The main Auckland-Sydney and Auckland-Melbourne routes will be cut to seven return services per week, while Auckland-Brisbane be reduced to five. Suspended will be flights from Auckland to Adelaide, Cairns, Sunshine Coast, Coolangatta and Perth as well from Christchurch to Brisbane, Melbourne and Coolangatta. Also not operating are routes from Wellington to Brisbane and Melbourne as well as from Queenstown to Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. “Due to the large number of schedule changes, customers are strongly encouraged to only contact the airline if they are due to fly within the next 48 hours or need immediate repatriation to New Zealand or their home country,’’ the airline said.