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Wednesday 5 February 2020
Ivan walking for life
Blink and you’ll miss Micayla Page 21
Page 6
Air NZ fares continue to soar Matt McCrorie
been offset by only one new flight per day from Air New Zealand. Locals are concerned with a sharp The three Jetstar flights per day rise in prices from Air New Zealand from Wellington have been offset in the months since Jetstar pulled by only one new flight per day from out of the region on November 30. Wellington. Information obtained from Commuter Kate Neame says that Nelson Airport under the Official she used to be able to get $39 fares Information Act reveals increased to Wellington up to a couple of airfare prices from Nelson since the weeks out. “I’ve just had to book for May departure of Jetstar. The airport monitors airfares every (months away) at $376 return.” day for the price of a booking the Manda Wicks says she doesn’t next day, as well as bookings 30 days foresee being able to travel as often prior to travel, both inbound and this year. “I’m hopeful that Originair might outbound. Analysis shows that in December change that when their service starts.” 2019, a return fare to Auckland from Origin announced two weeks ago Nelson, booked a day in advance, that they would start flights to has gone up by $131. The same fare Wellington come February 14. booked 30 days in advance has risen Air New Zealand’s external communications manager Anna by $99. Nelson MP Nick Smith says that he Cross said that in December, the was “appalled” by the hike in airfares. carrier offered more than 22,000 “I have been inundated with seats on Nelson routes for under complaints from Nelsonians feeling $100 compared to less than 17,000 at the same time last year. ripped off,” he says. Airfares in and out of Nelson to She said that Jetstar’s withdrawal, Wellington and Auckland were coming as it did heading into peak hiked up an average 18 per cent in season, “really challenged our teams December 2019, compared to to identify available aircraft and slots”. December 2018, when Jetstar was Anna said its December flights filled up faster than usual and the cheapest still operating out of the region. Another concern for locals is seats tended to sell out first. reduced capacity. Analysis shows “We always encourage our that new flights added by Air New customers to book early to take Zealand don’t cover the gap left by advantage of best available fares, Jetstar’s departure. The four Jetstar especially heading into the busy flights per day from Auckland have festive season.”
Arhalia-May Patterson-Daly, 5 and Kymani Cooper, 5, were excited to be starting at Auckland Point School yesterday. Photo: Charles Anderson.
Building booms welcome new entrants Kate Russell
It’s back to school this week for Nelson primary schools, and although rolls are looking steady heading into the new decade, building projects are taking off. From classroom upgrades and paint jobs to major rebuilds - a government cash injection
in December has so far been put to good use. All state primary schools received between $50,000 and $400,000 (depending on their roll size) in the investment package for school-led property upgrade projects, which schools need to spend within two years.
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