Air NZ feels minister's wrath over axed regional air links

Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones has given a blunt warning to Air NZ to stop shutting down its regional air links. The extraordinary censure from the NZ First MP came during last Friday's announcement that the Government was stumping up NZ$1.75m towards the $4.75m cost of building a new terminal at Bay of Islands Airport near Kerikeri. Striding towards Air NZ's regional affairs manager, Ian Collier, Jones said "terminal" was a fitting word for the warning he was about to deliver. "Don't keep closing down regional air links. And take that message to your supervisors." Later, Jones conceded he wasn't the shareholding minister for Air NZ but said he was speaking out as someone born and raised in the provinces. "They've just ditched Kapiti, Kaitaia is gone with the wind ... While Air New Zealand has become very skilled at moving people around our major metropolitan areas, I think it is quite irresponsible of them to continue to degrade their provincial connectivity." As a champion for the regions he was ''absolutely'' within his rights to challenge Air NZ, which was still Crown-owned to a significant degree, he said.<br/>