1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:02,200 Speaker 1: A reminder that flying in this country can be hard work. 2 00:00:02,320 --> 00:00:04,200 Speaker 1: Sounds there are selling some of their planes and acting 3 00:00:04,240 --> 00:00:06,720 Speaker 1: Readsmond Blendham Christ you to Wanaka as later this year. 4 00:00:06,800 --> 00:00:09,280 Speaker 1: Andrew Crawford's the CEO of Sounds Er and as with us. Andrew, 5 00:00:09,360 --> 00:00:12,680 Speaker 1: very good morning to you, very well. Indeed, thank you, 6 00:00:12,760 --> 00:00:15,760 Speaker 1: just for clarification's sake, and not to insult you remotely. 7 00:00:16,480 --> 00:00:19,000 Speaker 1: You're a good business model, right. This is not about you. 8 00:00:19,040 --> 00:00:22,480 Speaker 1: This is about the economy, punters, numbers, et cetera. In 9 00:00:22,560 --> 00:00:25,280 Speaker 1: other words, you're not a dodgy operator, not that. 10 00:00:25,280 --> 00:00:28,280 Speaker 2: I'm aware of. It's not about punters and numbers. There's 11 00:00:28,280 --> 00:00:31,120 Speaker 2: plenty of people flying that that's not the issue and 12 00:00:31,160 --> 00:00:33,319 Speaker 2: say their numbers have been the best they've ever been. 13 00:00:33,840 --> 00:00:36,879 Speaker 2: The issue is the cost, the costs since COVID out of. 14 00:00:36,840 --> 00:00:39,120 Speaker 1: Control and that literally yeah, but that's my point. That's 15 00:00:39,120 --> 00:00:42,199 Speaker 1: why I'm asking, because everyone bangs on about Air New 16 00:00:42,280 --> 00:00:45,519 Speaker 1: Zealand going, oh, they're ripoff merchants. And it's what we're 17 00:00:45,600 --> 00:00:51,000 Speaker 1: learning is flying regionally in New Zealand is hard work, very. 18 00:00:50,720 --> 00:00:52,560 Speaker 2: Very and I've actually got a bit of defense for 19 00:00:52,640 --> 00:00:54,560 Speaker 2: in New Zealand. And then they've got some problems, and 20 00:00:54,840 --> 00:00:56,960 Speaker 2: we've got the same problems, just on a smaller scale. 21 00:00:57,040 --> 00:00:59,280 Speaker 2: And it's it's very, very difficult, and at some point 22 00:00:59,320 --> 00:01:01,600 Speaker 2: you've just got to say, no more is. 23 00:01:02,080 --> 00:01:07,280 Speaker 1: Doing something about your civil aviation bill is three hundred 24 00:01:07,319 --> 00:01:09,600 Speaker 1: thousand dollars a year. You're a small operator, and suddenly 25 00:01:09,560 --> 00:01:13,040 Speaker 1: it's three hundred thousand dollars. Who's doing something about that? 26 00:01:13,920 --> 00:01:16,319 Speaker 2: No, it's not three hundred, it's gone up three hundred. 27 00:01:17,000 --> 00:01:19,200 Speaker 2: It's gone up one hundred and forty five percent. That's 28 00:01:19,200 --> 00:01:24,320 Speaker 2: the increase. I don't know. I find it absolutely astounding 29 00:01:24,520 --> 00:01:27,320 Speaker 2: that the Civil Aviation can give themselves one hundred and 30 00:01:27,360 --> 00:01:30,400 Speaker 2: forty five percent pay rise and it's approved by cabinet, 31 00:01:30,440 --> 00:01:32,559 Speaker 2: and that's just supposed to be imposed on the traveling public. 32 00:01:32,680 --> 00:01:33,800 Speaker 2: It's staggering. 33 00:01:33,959 --> 00:01:35,959 Speaker 1: It's no wonder, it's difficult. Are you one of the 34 00:01:35,959 --> 00:01:38,640 Speaker 1: airlines involved in some councils around the country? There was 35 00:01:38,680 --> 00:01:40,240 Speaker 1: one I can't remember who it was that went to 36 00:01:40,280 --> 00:01:42,080 Speaker 1: a council for a little bit of help on a route. 37 00:01:42,080 --> 00:01:43,280 Speaker 1: Do you involve yourself in those? 38 00:01:44,240 --> 00:01:46,640 Speaker 2: No, but we've certainly we haven't had any loans from councils, 39 00:01:46,640 --> 00:01:49,640 Speaker 2: but we've certainly had support. You know from the airport 40 00:01:49,680 --> 00:01:53,480 Speaker 2: companies Malborough and Willington have been hugely beneficial to us 41 00:01:53,840 --> 00:01:56,040 Speaker 2: in support and the same as christ Church that they 42 00:01:56,200 --> 00:01:59,480 Speaker 2: get that regional aviation is critical of this country. And 43 00:02:00,000 --> 00:02:01,680 Speaker 2: you know in times of crisis, and it's happened in 44 00:02:01,720 --> 00:02:04,480 Speaker 2: the past, they come to smaller airlines like US, Barrier 45 00:02:04,560 --> 00:02:06,640 Speaker 2: Chathams and go. You know, you've got to do something 46 00:02:06,680 --> 00:02:08,240 Speaker 2: to help the roads. I mean the ko Kour Earth 47 00:02:08,280 --> 00:02:12,440 Speaker 2: Quick as one example. But when it's gone, it's gone, 48 00:02:12,600 --> 00:02:15,280 Speaker 2: like and it's a sad day that these routes are gone. 49 00:02:15,320 --> 00:02:17,320 Speaker 2: You know, blendin to christ Church, cross Church to Wanica 50 00:02:17,320 --> 00:02:19,200 Speaker 2: are big healthcare routes and they're going to go. 51 00:02:19,480 --> 00:02:23,160 Speaker 1: It's just well, James meag is apparently onto it is 52 00:02:23,200 --> 00:02:26,360 Speaker 1: he deser Have you talked to him, yes? And what's he. 53 00:02:26,400 --> 00:02:29,000 Speaker 2: Doing to visit us? And well, we haven't seen anything. 54 00:02:29,000 --> 00:02:30,600 Speaker 2: We've been talking to government for six years. 55 00:02:30,639 --> 00:02:34,840 Speaker 1: It's no more, no more, because we got the problem. 56 00:02:34,880 --> 00:02:37,120 Speaker 1: I mean, I'm a sort of a libertarian and I'm 57 00:02:37,160 --> 00:02:38,680 Speaker 1: one of those people who goes, look, if you can't 58 00:02:38,720 --> 00:02:40,320 Speaker 1: make a business work, you can't make a business work. 59 00:02:40,360 --> 00:02:42,400 Speaker 1: And I'm not sure we should be running a social 60 00:02:42,480 --> 00:02:47,440 Speaker 1: welfare agency for airlines. But connectivity is critical and I 61 00:02:47,480 --> 00:02:49,560 Speaker 1: suppose it's it's for the wider good, isn't it. 62 00:02:50,760 --> 00:02:53,040 Speaker 2: Listen, I'm with you. Why shouldn't the text they be 63 00:02:53,080 --> 00:02:57,960 Speaker 2: supporting airlines? Well, because of those reasons. We support trains, 64 00:02:58,200 --> 00:03:00,200 Speaker 2: we support roads. How much has been spent on that 65 00:03:00,280 --> 00:03:02,799 Speaker 2: train from Hamilton to walk that would cover regional aviation 66 00:03:02,880 --> 00:03:06,600 Speaker 2: and a heartbeat. But you know they're happy to put 67 00:03:06,639 --> 00:03:09,400 Speaker 2: money into roads, they're happy to put money into the ferries, 68 00:03:10,200 --> 00:03:12,400 Speaker 2: they're happy to put money into New Zealand when required. 69 00:03:12,480 --> 00:03:15,960 Speaker 2: That the regional connectivity nothing And hey, I'm with you. 70 00:03:16,040 --> 00:03:17,480 Speaker 2: Maybe that's just the answer and we've just got to 71 00:03:17,520 --> 00:03:18,440 Speaker 2: move on and get over it. 72 00:03:18,919 --> 00:03:20,079 Speaker 1: All right, Well, I wish you were with itm I 73 00:03:20,120 --> 00:03:23,000 Speaker 1: appreciate it very much. Andrew Crawford, who's the soundser CEO. 74 00:03:23,120 --> 00:03:26,919 Speaker 1: And James, I'm going to save regional New Zealand. Mega 75 00:03:27,240 --> 00:03:29,399 Speaker 1: was standing mine for him. Katie jumped on a plane 76 00:03:29,400 --> 00:03:31,480 Speaker 1: the other day, just once again to defend in New Zealand. 77 00:03:31,600 --> 00:03:33,400 Speaker 1: I can't remember what day it was, but let's say 78 00:03:33,400 --> 00:03:37,200 Speaker 1: it was Thursday. It was Wednesday or Thursday. She jumped 79 00:03:37,200 --> 00:03:39,920 Speaker 1: on a plane and bought a ticket to fly on 80 00:03:40,040 --> 00:03:42,760 Speaker 1: Sunday and she got a Friday nine Bucks. I thought 81 00:03:42,760 --> 00:03:45,320 Speaker 1: that's not bad going as it. For more from the 82 00:03:45,400 --> 00:03:48,440 Speaker 1: Mic Asking Breakfast, listen live to news talks it'd be 83 00:03:48,560 --> 00:03:52,280 Speaker 1: from six am weekdays, or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio