Freedomair ceases operations

[aviation]

Hi Folks,

Well after 12 years of operations the low-cost budget airline of New Zealand Freedomair has shutup shop as of yesterday March 29th , 2008.

The 11.35pm arrival from Coolangatta will be the last Freedom flight into New Zealand and from tomorrow morning Waikato travellers will be serviced by Air New Zealand between Hamilton International Airport and Brisbane, Gold Coast and Sydney.

The distinctive yellow A320 Freedom aircraft have flown over the Waikato for the last 13 years with early morning and late night departures and arrivals providing the city with its only regular international passenger service.

Freedom was set up in 1995 by Air New Zealand to compete with now defunct Kiwi Air, and the popularity of both airlines is largely credited with spurring airport development including a vastly improved terminal.

Freedom schedules have been parred back over the years with Hamilton losing its direct flight to Nadi, Fiji, and Melbourne, Australia.

The final flight marks the end of an era for Freedom's 250 staff most of whom will be moved to its parent company.

When the Waikato Times spoke with former Freedom flight attendant Sarah-Jane Whitehead and former Freedom airline pilot Jonathan Powles at Hamilton International Airport this week they agreed the end of the airline was sad, but said it had given them both the chance to advance in their careers.

Miss Whitehead had been there since the beginning. "I was part of the first intake of 25 and we all became very close kit because we were such a small group," she said.

She is now cabin crew development manager for Air New Zealand in Christchurch and Mr Powles is an A320 captain and flight examiner for the airline.

Air New Zealand general manager for Tasman and Pacific Glen Sowry said Freedom had been a model of how to make air travel more affordable.

"(Air New Zealand) learnt lessons from Freedom about how to incorporate ways of being more economic, and the cost advantage has just naturally melted away because of it," he said.

Mr Sowry said passengers would not notice any loss of service to Hamilton, although fares are expected to increase by an average of $30 to cover the full meal service and passengers will be able to accrue airpoints. The yellow Freedom Air livery will be stripped from the last of the 13 Freedom aircraft in about a week, and it will be fitted with a full in-flight entertainment service before joining the Air New Zealand fleet

I have my scanner hooked up to an outside aerial and just heard the first Air New Zealand trans-tasman flight arrive into Dunedin to a water canon salute.

Farewell Freedom, and welcome AirNZ.

[victor_alpha_charlie]

Already a topic here.

[aviation]

Cheers, Tom didn't realise there was already a topic