1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,160 Speaker 1: At last, we have these numbers that we so often 2 00:00:02,520 --> 00:00:04,520 Speaker 1: talk about, as I have been alluding to this morning 3 00:00:04,559 --> 00:00:06,200 Speaker 1: when it comes to flying around the country. Now, this 4 00:00:06,240 --> 00:00:10,559 Speaker 1: is the Ministry of Transport Aviation Flight Times and Productivity Report. 5 00:00:10,600 --> 00:00:13,240 Speaker 1: Now these are stats for April. They show Air New 6 00:00:13,320 --> 00:00:15,520 Speaker 1: Zealand at just over sixty percent for example, on time 7 00:00:15,560 --> 00:00:19,120 Speaker 1: departures for the trans Tasmin that's a disaster. Domestically they're 8 00:00:19,120 --> 00:00:22,840 Speaker 1: at eighty two percent, Jetstar seventy five percent. James meag Is, 9 00:00:22,840 --> 00:00:24,720 Speaker 1: the Associate Minister of transportant is with us. 10 00:00:24,720 --> 00:00:25,680 Speaker 2: Good morning morning, Mike. 11 00:00:25,920 --> 00:00:27,960 Speaker 1: Are these numbers acceptable or not? 12 00:00:29,280 --> 00:00:31,360 Speaker 2: Well? I think they are a snapshall in time. I 13 00:00:31,400 --> 00:00:34,240 Speaker 2: think for the regions they aren't acceptable in terms of 14 00:00:34,320 --> 00:00:37,160 Speaker 2: some of those really high cancelation rates. So at least 15 00:00:37,159 --> 00:00:40,319 Speaker 2: it gives us some transparency about what's happening and can 16 00:00:40,360 --> 00:00:42,360 Speaker 2: focus on some of those regions that are really really 17 00:00:42,360 --> 00:00:43,599 Speaker 2: suffering from poor performance. 18 00:00:43,720 --> 00:00:46,080 Speaker 1: When you talk about cancelation rates, what do you refer 19 00:00:46,120 --> 00:00:48,680 Speaker 1: to specifically? I'm looking broadly speaking, there's a couple of 20 00:00:48,760 --> 00:00:52,000 Speaker 1: randoms in there. Northland seems to be a problem for 21 00:00:52,080 --> 00:00:54,520 Speaker 1: Air New Zealand. Some of your great barrier airlines seem 22 00:00:54,560 --> 00:00:57,200 Speaker 1: to have troubles, but generally the cancelation rates around two 23 00:00:57,240 --> 00:00:58,840 Speaker 1: or three percent, which I wouldn't have thought see end 24 00:00:58,800 --> 00:00:59,400 Speaker 1: of the world. 25 00:00:59,240 --> 00:01:01,760 Speaker 2: Is it? Yeah, I think around the national average is 26 00:01:01,800 --> 00:01:03,560 Speaker 2: about five point two. So you've got to bear in 27 00:01:03,560 --> 00:01:05,600 Speaker 2: mind for this report, it's a snapshot in time for 28 00:01:05,680 --> 00:01:08,520 Speaker 2: eightpol so it takes into account cyclone, tam and easter. 29 00:01:08,720 --> 00:01:11,720 Speaker 2: So your Northland top of the North routes are going 30 00:01:11,800 --> 00:01:13,880 Speaker 2: to be higher this month. What we're going to need 31 00:01:13,920 --> 00:01:16,119 Speaker 2: to look at is the trend over the next few 32 00:01:16,160 --> 00:01:18,479 Speaker 2: months to see where it all settles out, and I'd 33 00:01:18,480 --> 00:01:21,160 Speaker 2: be looking for improvement over time. That's the point for 34 00:01:21,400 --> 00:01:22,479 Speaker 2: of how I'm having met reports. 35 00:01:22,520 --> 00:01:25,560 Speaker 1: Okay, so this is low tide in your view as 36 00:01:25,560 --> 00:01:26,600 Speaker 1: far as you're concerned or not. 37 00:01:27,920 --> 00:01:30,600 Speaker 2: I would hope that for those northern regions that's about 38 00:01:30,600 --> 00:01:32,840 Speaker 2: as high as against for some continent weather events. But 39 00:01:32,880 --> 00:01:37,199 Speaker 2: if you look at places like Topaor and Timoru and Okoteca, 40 00:01:37,600 --> 00:01:39,319 Speaker 2: they are higher than average, and they've been high for 41 00:01:39,360 --> 00:01:41,200 Speaker 2: quite a while and they weren't as affected by that 42 00:01:41,200 --> 00:01:43,240 Speaker 2: weather event. So we want to make sure the airlines 43 00:01:43,319 --> 00:01:45,559 Speaker 2: keep focused on those routes and make sure they improve their. 44 00:01:45,440 --> 00:01:47,440 Speaker 1: Performance see it's easy to do this, and I know 45 00:01:47,480 --> 00:01:49,000 Speaker 1: it is a snapshot in time, and I've read it, 46 00:01:49,040 --> 00:01:50,440 Speaker 1: and I've looked through all the numbers, and you can 47 00:01:50,480 --> 00:01:53,200 Speaker 1: fascinate yourself till you're blue in the face. I would 48 00:01:53,320 --> 00:01:55,600 Speaker 1: like to see it higher, of course I would, But 49 00:01:55,800 --> 00:02:00,960 Speaker 1: at about eighty ish percent overall to take off and land, 50 00:02:01,080 --> 00:02:02,240 Speaker 1: it isn't bad, is it. 51 00:02:03,280 --> 00:02:05,160 Speaker 2: I think in terms of delays it's not bad. But 52 00:02:05,200 --> 00:02:07,480 Speaker 2: when you look at some of the high rates of 53 00:02:07,560 --> 00:02:10,720 Speaker 2: cancelations for the regions, that really impacts people who are 54 00:02:10,720 --> 00:02:13,520 Speaker 2: needing to travel in the regions for work, particularly because 55 00:02:13,520 --> 00:02:18,000 Speaker 2: they're already geographically isolated. So yeah, I think on generally, 56 00:02:18,040 --> 00:02:20,359 Speaker 2: our airlines do a relatively good job, but when it 57 00:02:20,400 --> 00:02:22,960 Speaker 2: comes to serving the regions, we've really got to make 58 00:02:22,960 --> 00:02:24,919 Speaker 2: sure we focus on those high rates and at least 59 00:02:24,960 --> 00:02:26,680 Speaker 2: get them down to where everyone else is performance. 60 00:02:26,800 --> 00:02:28,240 Speaker 1: Okay, So what are you going to do about it? 61 00:02:28,240 --> 00:02:29,720 Speaker 1: If anything, apart from jaw boneit. 62 00:02:30,760 --> 00:02:33,280 Speaker 2: Well, I think it's good to have the data to 63 00:02:33,320 --> 00:02:35,400 Speaker 2: actually prove the point that some of those regions are 64 00:02:35,440 --> 00:02:38,200 Speaker 2: finding it tough. Government can do a few things that 65 00:02:38,240 --> 00:02:40,720 Speaker 2: can look at what it's doing to invest in airline 66 00:02:40,800 --> 00:02:44,080 Speaker 2: and airport infrastructure to reduce the costs on airlines to 67 00:02:44,080 --> 00:02:46,080 Speaker 2: make it easier for them to travel. We're always going 68 00:02:46,080 --> 00:02:48,079 Speaker 2: to be affected by weather, but there are some things 69 00:02:48,120 --> 00:02:51,359 Speaker 2: around workforce development, access to pilots, access to engineers that 70 00:02:51,400 --> 00:02:54,680 Speaker 2: the government can do for workforce development, and also access 71 00:02:54,720 --> 00:02:58,600 Speaker 2: to capital to help with purchase of parts and new 72 00:02:58,600 --> 00:03:00,000 Speaker 2: planes and the global shortages. 73 00:03:00,360 --> 00:03:02,560 Speaker 1: See. One of the interesting things was when I started 74 00:03:02,560 --> 00:03:05,040 Speaker 1: looking into this regionally, everyone going, nah, don't do the 75 00:03:05,120 --> 00:03:08,280 Speaker 1: jets service because that's easy. The regionals are the problem. 76 00:03:08,520 --> 00:03:10,840 Speaker 1: And yet if you look at the Tasman what a crap, 77 00:03:11,120 --> 00:03:14,120 Speaker 1: what an absolute shit show that is, and you've got 78 00:03:14,200 --> 00:03:16,000 Speaker 1: nothing but jets and no one does it properly. 79 00:03:17,320 --> 00:03:19,000 Speaker 2: Yeah. Again, I think you've got to look at that 80 00:03:19,080 --> 00:03:21,280 Speaker 2: trend over time for the jets. We do have data 81 00:03:21,320 --> 00:03:23,560 Speaker 2: trans tansment going back a few months and it shows 82 00:03:23,560 --> 00:03:25,640 Speaker 2: that it sort of bounces up around about that eighty 83 00:03:25,639 --> 00:03:28,920 Speaker 2: percent all the time. I think for April and the jets, 84 00:03:28,960 --> 00:03:30,480 Speaker 2: You've also got to look at some of the weather 85 00:03:30,520 --> 00:03:32,360 Speaker 2: events over in Australia. So there wasn't going to take 86 00:03:32,400 --> 00:03:34,760 Speaker 2: this time around. But you're right, I mean, cancelation rates 87 00:03:34,920 --> 00:03:36,960 Speaker 2: are always going to jump up around and there's probably 88 00:03:37,000 --> 00:03:40,360 Speaker 2: no internationally accepted standard. But if you look at overall 89 00:03:40,400 --> 00:03:43,240 Speaker 2: for the likes of your domestic jets, that's around about 90 00:03:43,280 --> 00:03:46,200 Speaker 2: point eight percent cancelation. If you look at domestic routes, 91 00:03:46,240 --> 00:03:47,560 Speaker 2: it's about five point two percent. 92 00:03:47,640 --> 00:03:51,520 Speaker 1: So what we're coming up with, and see Jesus Heaven 93 00:03:51,560 --> 00:03:53,440 Speaker 1: for Vidim and apologies with the airlines, but I mean 94 00:03:53,440 --> 00:03:55,560 Speaker 1: what you're coming up with, you've just given yourself away 95 00:03:55,600 --> 00:03:57,320 Speaker 1: to a degree. Yeah, we've got a bit of weather there, 96 00:03:57,320 --> 00:03:58,880 Speaker 1: and then we had a storm there, and then we 97 00:03:58,920 --> 00:04:00,640 Speaker 1: had a strike there, And I mean what you're going 98 00:04:00,640 --> 00:04:04,240 Speaker 1: to find over time is there's always something somewhere and 99 00:04:04,320 --> 00:04:06,120 Speaker 1: that's going to skew the figures, isn't it. 100 00:04:07,200 --> 00:04:09,240 Speaker 2: Yeah, on one off occasions at will. But if I 101 00:04:09,600 --> 00:04:11,720 Speaker 2: want to look at making sure those trends over time 102 00:04:11,720 --> 00:04:14,320 Speaker 2: are going downwards and that airlines are focusing on the 103 00:04:14,360 --> 00:04:16,440 Speaker 2: areas that are causing issues for travelers, Like if you 104 00:04:16,440 --> 00:04:22,160 Speaker 2: look at twenty percent cancelation rates for Kaitaia, they're probably 105 00:04:22,200 --> 00:04:23,440 Speaker 2: too high to be acceptable. 106 00:04:24,920 --> 00:04:27,120 Speaker 1: James, Can I be honest? I mean, fitty younger, I 107 00:04:27,160 --> 00:04:30,919 Speaker 1: mean honestly, fitty younger. If you drive, I mean, for 108 00:04:30,960 --> 00:04:33,680 Speaker 1: goodness sake, It's like, what do you expect in a 109 00:04:33,720 --> 00:04:36,920 Speaker 1: third world country, which we are these days? Sadly, do 110 00:04:36,960 --> 00:04:39,719 Speaker 1: you honestly expect to hop on a seven three seven 111 00:04:39,760 --> 00:04:41,719 Speaker 1: to fit a younger and take off on time and 112 00:04:41,760 --> 00:04:42,960 Speaker 1: be served a cocktail? 113 00:04:43,880 --> 00:04:45,560 Speaker 2: No? And I don't think anyone does. And look for 114 00:04:45,640 --> 00:04:48,279 Speaker 2: the younger, there's about eighty flights a month they think 115 00:04:48,640 --> 00:04:50,560 Speaker 2: in and out of there. So I think people don't 116 00:04:50,600 --> 00:04:52,880 Speaker 2: expect that. What they do expect is to have some 117 00:04:53,000 --> 00:04:55,679 Speaker 2: reasonable form of connectivity, so you aren't spending a serifficent 118 00:04:55,720 --> 00:04:58,240 Speaker 2: amount of times in the car to get places. And 119 00:04:58,360 --> 00:05:00,920 Speaker 2: like the West Coast for the younger far North yep, 120 00:05:01,160 --> 00:05:03,719 Speaker 2: they are geographically isolated and it's harder to get around. 121 00:05:03,720 --> 00:05:05,880 Speaker 2: But we can do some stuff to support those regions. 122 00:05:05,920 --> 00:05:07,320 Speaker 2: It's important to support our regions. 123 00:05:07,320 --> 00:05:10,320 Speaker 1: Of course. It is what is the James Meager scale 124 00:05:10,440 --> 00:05:12,839 Speaker 1: of acceptability for regional New Zealand. 125 00:05:13,960 --> 00:05:15,960 Speaker 2: I think if you look at the national average being 126 00:05:16,040 --> 00:05:18,480 Speaker 2: five percent, I would hope that most regions would like 127 00:05:18,520 --> 00:05:20,360 Speaker 2: to think that they are doing no worse than the 128 00:05:20,440 --> 00:05:22,760 Speaker 2: national average. And of course it's hard because averages, you know, 129 00:05:22,800 --> 00:05:24,200 Speaker 2: half the people are always going to be above that. 130 00:05:24,760 --> 00:05:27,760 Speaker 2: But I think over time, if you're talking about Hokatika 131 00:05:27,920 --> 00:05:30,080 Speaker 2: rot there or timorary places like that, if you pour 132 00:05:30,120 --> 00:05:32,239 Speaker 2: them down from the ten to sevens into the fives 133 00:05:32,279 --> 00:05:33,760 Speaker 2: and fours, I think that's improvement. 134 00:05:34,000 --> 00:05:36,320 Speaker 1: Okay, we haven't had a chance to talk since you 135 00:05:36,360 --> 00:05:40,400 Speaker 1: had your extraordinary thought bubble on reorganizing the domestic airline 136 00:05:40,440 --> 00:05:42,800 Speaker 1: service in this country with government help. How far have 137 00:05:42,880 --> 00:05:45,359 Speaker 1: you progressed that particular idea. 138 00:05:45,560 --> 00:05:48,919 Speaker 2: Yeah, so ministers are still discussing the options around what 139 00:05:48,960 --> 00:05:53,080 Speaker 2: we can do to support infrastructure. We've made some investments, 140 00:05:53,120 --> 00:05:55,960 Speaker 2: particularly in the West coast. Hakatiki report made some investments 141 00:05:56,000 --> 00:05:58,560 Speaker 2: over there recently, so it's still in train. But I mean, 142 00:05:58,960 --> 00:06:00,960 Speaker 2: you're right, it's a difficult problem to try and fix 143 00:06:01,040 --> 00:06:03,120 Speaker 2: because it is about competition, but it's also about the 144 00:06:03,160 --> 00:06:06,040 Speaker 2: economics of flying airlines. And I've talked to the likes 145 00:06:06,040 --> 00:06:09,720 Speaker 2: of Sound there who have excellent flight performance but still 146 00:06:09,760 --> 00:06:11,800 Speaker 2: find it difficult to operate just because of the costs 147 00:06:11,800 --> 00:06:14,000 Speaker 2: of running airlines. So we are making progress on that. 148 00:06:14,440 --> 00:06:17,000 Speaker 2: To start a reporting will help airline price, It will 149 00:06:17,040 --> 00:06:20,600 Speaker 2: help better airport infrastructure, will help government. Lowering its own 150 00:06:20,640 --> 00:06:22,960 Speaker 2: fees over time will help as well. It all goes 151 00:06:22,960 --> 00:06:23,480 Speaker 2: into the mix. 152 00:06:23,600 --> 00:06:25,839 Speaker 1: Okay, appreciate your time. You have a good weekend. James Meaga, 153 00:06:25,920 --> 00:06:30,080 Speaker 1: Associate Transport, we're still discussing. Tell you what a discussion was, 154 00:06:30,200 --> 00:06:33,080 Speaker 1: aviation fuel, who would be getting places for more from 155 00:06:33,120 --> 00:06:34,400 Speaker 1: the Mic, Asking Breakfast. 156 00:06:34,560 --> 00:06:36,039 Speaker 2: Listen live to news talks. 157 00:06:36,040 --> 00:06:39,240 Speaker 1: It'd be from six am weekdays, or follow the podcast 158 00:06:39,279 --> 00:06:40,159 Speaker 1: on iHeartRadio.