Pasifika Air-START UP
Jan 5, 2021, 8:41 pm
#16
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Good lucky to him, I wouldn’t book any of his fares on anything other than an credit card with an good charge back policy.
When the RAR is announced officially, I would expect NZ and JQ will both operate services between AKL/WLG/CHC-RAR they both have plenty of spare resources at the moment to make it happen.
RAR’s biggest issue will be the Island maximum capacity. Unless someone wants to go rapidly complete the failed Sheraton....
When the RAR is announced officially, I would expect NZ and JQ will both operate services between AKL/WLG/CHC-RAR they both have plenty of spare resources at the moment to make it happen.
RAR’s biggest issue will be the Island maximum capacity. Unless someone wants to go rapidly complete the failed Sheraton....
"RAR’s biggest issue will be the Island maximum capacity"
No use any airline having flights to RAR if clients can't get rooms. Imagine some hotel that has close to 0% occupancy at present, who'll be desperate for any guests at all. If they have funds available, they might invest in new airline, via allocation of seats, ie. buy seats upfront to package with their own accommodation.
Pero sounds like he has close contacts at RAR, so might have the rooms, which other airlines can't get.
Obviously AIr NZ know how many passengers from WLG & CHC have flown to RAR on air NZ nonstops AKL/RAR assuming they flew air NZ to AKL & not Jetstar.
Jan 6, 2021, 10:27 am
#17
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I think any néw airline, will find it hard to establish an decent relationship with the hotels in RAR.
Many will still be supportive of NZ, who is there main life line to the outside wolrd.
An 738 can’t carry any useful cargo to RAR, where NZ 789s bring in most of there fresh food to keep there hotels running.
Jan 7, 2021, 7:28 pm
#18
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The Cook Islanders tend to be very loyal NZ supporters, some of them even have NZ bumper stickers on there cars.
I think any néw airline, will find it hard to establish an decent relationship with the hotels in RAR.
Many will still be supportive of NZ, who is there main life line to the outside wolrd.
An 738 can’t carry any useful cargo to RAR, where NZ 789s bring in most of there fresh food to keep there hotels running.
I think any néw airline, will find it hard to establish an decent relationship with the hotels in RAR.
Many will still be supportive of NZ, who is there main life line to the outside wolrd.
An 738 can’t carry any useful cargo to RAR, where NZ 789s bring in most of there fresh food to keep there hotels running.
Jan 7, 2021, 9:33 pm
#19
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....
No use any airline having flights to RAR if clients can't get rooms. Imagine some hotel that has close to 0% occupancy at present, who'll be desperate for any guests at all. If they have funds available, they might invest in new airline, via allocation of seats, ie. buy seats upfront to package with their own accommodation......
No use any airline having flights to RAR if clients can't get rooms. Imagine some hotel that has close to 0% occupancy at present, who'll be desperate for any guests at all. If they have funds available, they might invest in new airline, via allocation of seats, ie. buy seats upfront to package with their own accommodation......
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiwi_T...ional_Airlines
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiwi_Regional_Airlines
The NZ aviation market is small and more like NSW/ACT and smaller than QLD (large area). NZ regional airports with large B737/A320 would fail quickly. Jetstar could not make the NZ regions work with small aircraft, even when they were in part feeder flights to JQ-QF international flights. For example NZ now fly ATR42 WLG-CHC, when in past they were A320/B737.
Pero is a very personable guy, but would not buy a used car from him. Or more in his case a used hi performance motor bike
Feb 12, 2021, 12:18 am
#20
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Tough to start a new airlines in these times and with a competitor who does not like head to head competition.
I would not be buying a ticket!
12 Feb 2021 (tvnz.co.nz)--->Mike Pero's Pasifika Air aims for June take-off, but no plane yet
I would not be buying a ticket!
12 Feb 2021 (tvnz.co.nz)--->Mike Pero's Pasifika Air aims for June take-off, but no plane yet
An airline that is yet to get off the ground plans to take bookings for flights to the Cook Islands from March, despite the fact the company still does not yet have a plane, and there are no signs of Covid-19 travel restrictions lifting.Real estate businessman Mike Pero is spreading his wings into aviation with his new company Pasifika Air. Pero is offering a money back guarantee if Covid-19 grounds flights from Christchurch or Wellington to Rarotonga, or if there's no isolation-free travel. He told Checkpoint he is aiming for take-off in June. "We're not a budget airline. Low-cost carriers traditionally race to the bottom. "We're not competing with Air New Zealand or Jetstar. Where they're going on price, we're going on service, and we'll just maintain a fair and reasonable price.
<snip>
"We've got a great team. It's all New Zealanders, and pretty much the whole operation is based in New Zealand. We're using Boeing aircraft. Good Boeing aircraft, and… the service standards and delivery will be what Kiwis want." The planes are not yet in New Zealand though. "We're just waiting for the right time. There's aircraft across the world. We want a particular type and a particular standard, and at this stage we're negotiating with I'd say about nine lease options," Pero said. He is also confident about having pilots and cabin crew ready, although none have signed contracts.
<snip>
<snip>
"We've got a great team. It's all New Zealanders, and pretty much the whole operation is based in New Zealand. We're using Boeing aircraft. Good Boeing aircraft, and… the service standards and delivery will be what Kiwis want." The planes are not yet in New Zealand though. "We're just waiting for the right time. There's aircraft across the world. We want a particular type and a particular standard, and at this stage we're negotiating with I'd say about nine lease options," Pero said. He is also confident about having pilots and cabin crew ready, although none have signed contracts.
<snip>
Feb 12, 2021, 12:26 am
#21
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Tough to start a new airlines in these times and with a competitor who does not like head to head competition.
I would not be buying a ticket!
12 Feb 2021 (tvnz.co.nz)--->Mike Pero's Pasifika Air aims for June take-off, but no plane yet
I would not be buying a ticket!
12 Feb 2021 (tvnz.co.nz)--->Mike Pero's Pasifika Air aims for June take-off, but no plane yet
Who's to say air nz, won't close down ?
If you pay with a credit card, you have some protection.
Kiwis can fly to parts of Australia, without any quarantine.
Feb 26, 2021, 11:05 am
#22
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Domestic to international transfers at AKL are much easier than at SYD. For starters you can walk between terminals at AKL.
Feb 26, 2021, 4:28 pm
#23
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Apr 15, 2021, 2:27 am
#24
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As expected gone before it started to fly
15 Apr 2021 (rnz.co,nz)-->Mike Pero grounds Pasifika Air plan
(newshub.co.nz)--->Mike Pero cancels plans to launch his own airline, Pasifika Air
Today Virgin Australia announced they are (re)leasing 10 B737 they used to fly before going into administration.
15 Apr 2021 (rnz.co,nz)-->Mike Pero grounds Pasifika Air plan
Pasifika Air has been grounded before takeoff.
The airline started by businessman Mike Pero was slated to start offering flights between New Zealand and the Cook Islands in June. In February Pero told RNZ Pasifika Air was looking at taking bookings at the end of March. That never eventuated. Pero said the reluctance of the government to establish a Pacific travel bubble had shot down its plans. "While the dark cloud hanging over global travel remains, we expected a brighter outlook for the Pacific region. "The Cooks have never had Covid-19 and there is still no border reopening date, yet the travel bubble with Australia is about to open. Amid this continuing uncertainty, I have reluctantly decided now is not the time to launch Pasifika Air."
<snip>
The airline started by businessman Mike Pero was slated to start offering flights between New Zealand and the Cook Islands in June. In February Pero told RNZ Pasifika Air was looking at taking bookings at the end of March. That never eventuated. Pero said the reluctance of the government to establish a Pacific travel bubble had shot down its plans. "While the dark cloud hanging over global travel remains, we expected a brighter outlook for the Pacific region. "The Cooks have never had Covid-19 and there is still no border reopening date, yet the travel bubble with Australia is about to open. Amid this continuing uncertainty, I have reluctantly decided now is not the time to launch Pasifika Air."
<snip>
<snip>
As well as being one of the most well known real estate agents in Aotearoa, Pero is also a commercial pilot who has been closely following the aviation industry for years.
It was expected that Pasifika Air would use aircraft leased from Virgin Australia which recently extended their suspension of services across the Tasman. The airline likely has many aircraft that have been in storage for some time, so would need work before being able to operate passenger services.
Pero also said that Air New Zealand's engineering department was no longer providing maintenance services to other airlines, which created more problems for his venture.
<snip>
As well as being one of the most well known real estate agents in Aotearoa, Pero is also a commercial pilot who has been closely following the aviation industry for years.
It was expected that Pasifika Air would use aircraft leased from Virgin Australia which recently extended their suspension of services across the Tasman. The airline likely has many aircraft that have been in storage for some time, so would need work before being able to operate passenger services.
Pero also said that Air New Zealand's engineering department was no longer providing maintenance services to other airlines, which created more problems for his venture.
<snip>
Last edited by Mwenenzi; Apr 15, 2021 at 2:45 am
Apr 20, 2021, 7:57 am
#25
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Brisbane, Australia
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Hmmm... who would have thought. They'd planned to use VA aircraft but VA doesn't have enough for their own domestic operations let alone trans tasman or wet-leased for this rubbish. I'm actually sad they didn't launch as it would have been fun to watch Air NZ schedule some flights at the exact same time/routes and make them just slightly cheaper.
Apr 20, 2021, 5:14 pm
#26
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Hmmm... who would have thought. They'd planned to use VA aircraft but VA doesn't have enough for their own domestic operations let alone trans tasman or wet-leased for this rubbish. I'm actually sad they didn't launch as it would have been fun to watch Air NZ schedule some flights at the exact same time/routes and make them just slightly cheaper.
RAR is one of those locations, where more tourist traffic than locals, so it's all about hotel allocations. Not much use getting flights, if tourist can't get a room. With his supposed contacts in RAR, Pero's idea might not be dead in the water.
Must still be 1000s of parked B738s or similar that can be leased very VERY cheaply & have heard of pilots who initially will work for absolutely nothing to keep their currency. For international flights, they don't need to be kiwis.
It's not over til it's over.
Apr 20, 2021, 8:48 pm
#27
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Brisbane, Australia
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RAR is one of those locations, where more tourist traffic than locals, so it's all about hotel allocations. Not much use getting flights, if tourist can't get a room. With his supposed contacts in RAR, Pero's idea might not be dead in the water.
Must still be 1000s of parked B738s or similar that can be leased very VERY cheaply & have heard of pilots who initially will work for absolutely nothing to keep their currency. For international flights, they don't need to be kiwis.
It's not over til it's over.
Apr 20, 2021, 9:19 pm
#28
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No, but VA's well-publicised plan is to return to 100% capacity by the end of the year with a bulk of this domestic operations. VA has lost some 737's to REX but others they won't just be able to click their fingers and get the aircraft back. There has been a fair amount of discussion about this in the Australian Financial Review where all but two of the VA lessors agreed to power by the hour leasing, in recent weeks one of those two have agreed but the other has not (at least not yet). There are also limitations with them operating their owned aircraft with some banks preventing them from doing so.
I've previously spent a week in RAR and I don't think they'll have a hotel shorage anytime soon, Air NZ used to operate up to 3x flights a day using mainly widebodies (plus VA and JQ) so Pero's plan to operate an extra 1x daily 737 flight wouldn't cause any major problems given VA has pulled out and Air NZ have limited widebody flights operating right now.
Whilst you're right, VA could probably pick up some cheap power by the hour 737's right now however they won't be fitted with VA's product, won't have a VA livery etc all of which cost money to fix which I doubt they'd be willing to spend. They want more planes but don't want more cost (and they make that very clear). Sure they could probably operate them in a white livery and with seats of the previous carrier but that damages the VA brand which is essentially what bain purchased.
Yep, however, if you've got an airline with no planes, no experience, no approvals and pitching it on a route that isn't open to the majority of people with no fixed opening date yet then there are bound to be problems.
I've previously spent a week in RAR and I don't think they'll have a hotel shorage anytime soon, Air NZ used to operate up to 3x flights a day using mainly widebodies (plus VA and JQ) so Pero's plan to operate an extra 1x daily 737 flight wouldn't cause any major problems given VA has pulled out and Air NZ have limited widebody flights operating right now.
Whilst you're right, VA could probably pick up some cheap power by the hour 737's right now however they won't be fitted with VA's product, won't have a VA livery etc all of which cost money to fix which I doubt they'd be willing to spend. They want more planes but don't want more cost (and they make that very clear). Sure they could probably operate them in a white livery and with seats of the previous carrier but that damages the VA brand which is essentially what bain purchased.
Yep, however, if you've got an airline with no planes, no experience, no approvals and pitching it on a route that isn't open to the majority of people with no fixed opening date yet then there are bound to be problems.
Apr 22, 2021, 9:14 am
#29
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As others have pointed out, Australia and New Zealand have an Open Skies air services agreement, so there are no restrictions whatsoever on airlines from either side - any airline from either country can freely operate any routes between the two countries without hindrance or the need to seek approval. As such, Pasifika could have flown anywhere within NZ and to/from Australia without requiring any approval or permit [notwithstanding any additional restrictions imposed due to Covid/public health].
Most Air Services agreements designate the airlines that can operate between the countries involved, and it is not allowed for any other non-designated airline - even another airline from the same country - to step up and use any left-over "allocation" in the manner your sentence suggested.
The New Zealand/Cook Islands bilateral ASA was suspended when the Cook Islands signed up to the Multilateral Agreement on the Liberalization of International Air Transportation (MALIAT), so services between NZ and Cook Islands are governed by this agreement. However, Air New Zealand is the only designated New Zealand airline, so unless and until this was changed by the NZ government [or, indeed, if it was designated by the Cook Islands government], it seems to me that Pasifika would have lacked the legal basis necessary to operate flights to the Cook Islands.