Auckland to Blenheim (AKL-BHE) on NZ ATR 72-500

Once again back at the airport. As usual I use the quick check machine to beat the queues. I am puzzled when I check the seating – the layout doesn’t match the small Beech 1900D that is normally used exclusively on this route. Then I realise NZ had substituted the 66 seater ATR for the 19 seater Beech! This immediately put me in a happy mood – the 80 minute flight will be much more comfortable in this larger aircraft, plus I figure the landing will be fun in this larger aircraft in the confines of the Wairau Valley.

So I head through security to the lounge in a good mood. Since it is lunchtime and I haven’t had time to eat I grab some food and drink, and catch up on emails and work while I wait. I get a lot done and the time until boarding passes quickly. When the call is made I head for the prop gates, mindful that this time we have the very farthest possible prop gate – a loooong walk away. Again we get called by name before even close to the prop lounge area.

As it happens another passenger in a wheelchair is being assisted onboard so I’m not holding up the flight again. The aircraft is almost totally full, hence the equipment change, but I manage to get one of the few empty seats beside me. The cabin crew are excited (maybe that is a bit strong, certainly pleased) to be flying somewhere different.

We have a short taxi, wait for a few landing aircraft and then take off over the harbour. As we climb I see the skies are very clear – so some great views to look forward to again, and at much lower altitude and speed than for example the jet aircraft flights down to Wellington, Christchurch or Queenstown all of which follow a similar flight path. We turn and track down the coast, surf beaches and cliffs clearly visible in the foreground, rolling hills and farmland behind.

Further along we see the volcanic peaks in the centre of the island to our left and also Mount Taranaki to our right, surrounded by a belt of bush and a broad circle of farmland on its gentle lower slopes. We then fly along Cook Strait and see a ferry below wending its way through the sounds. Just ahead of Blenheim we encounter a blanket of cloud, but it is so thin we rapidly descend through it and it is still bright below. Now we pass the lagoons and head up the valley – mountains on either side. We fly low over Blenheim and the surrounding vineyards before doing a tight turn in the valley to land back towards the sea. The braking on landing is impressively short for an aircraft of this size, but we use the full width of the wide runway to turn around. The taxi in is short and we park up well away from the new terminal to leave room for a couple other flights landing shortly after us, as well as an NZ Post aircraft.