Rotorua to Auckland (ROT-AKL) on NZ Beech 1900D
Check in area is devoid of pax and looms. The terminal seems to big for the number of flights Rotorua gets, even allowing for times when NZ and QF both have a 737 departing. Obviously a city with ambitions. Once checked in you have to go to a counter at the left of check in to pay for the terminal - aka NZ$5 development levy. This counter doubles as a mini shop (magazines and sweets only).
There is a cafe and oodles of plastic seating. To give an idea, it is probably more seating than Auckland domestic terminal has with many times the volume of flights. Yet despite this, the airport has no airline lounge (QF is understandable with just 1 flight a day, NZ is less so).
While I was waiting I saw a NZ 737 take off to Christchurch, raising a big dust cloud at the end of the runway when it started its roll and taking much of the runway length to take off.
It seems every one checked in early since boarding is called rather early. However the agent used the pa near check in and so wasn't at the gate when pax moved there. A few second wait. BPs are checked for the development levy sticker.
As with the flight down we have great views through scattered cloud. On descent to Auckland it is a bit bumpy both through the thin cloud and also beneath it as we cross thermals. We have stunning views of the twin harbours and city across the isthmus.
All too soon we are down, with a very short taxi - turn right when we slowed and straight ahead to the gate. Everyone was a bit polite on deplaning - the pilot had time to set the steps and wait around at the bottom before anyone moved. In these tiny a/c the pax at the rear have to wait for the pax at the front to deplane.