• Masterton–Auckland Air Service: The Next Step Survey

    Choose whether you’re answering on behalf of a business, as a private individual/household OR both, then complete the survey.

  • We're so close. This is the next step, and we need your commitment to keep the momentum going.


    Back in March 2026, Wairarapa's community and businesses gave us an overwhelming response in support of a Masterton–Auckland air service. That support has driven real progress, and now we're ready for the next step: building the actual evidence base that airlines can take to their boards. This survey is that next step, because commitment is what actually gets a route confirmed.

    Before any airline deploys aircraft and crew to our region, they need evidence that Wairarapa businesses and households will fill seats, week in, week out. We need as many people as possible adding their voice to the case, to get this off the ground.

     

    UPDATES ON THE AIR SERVICE
    Hood Aerodrome's $17 million runway and infrastructure upgrade is complete, and airlines, including Air Chathams, Napier Air, and Origin Air, have expressed real interest in flying between Masterton and Auckland.


    The proposed service: Masterton (Hood Aerodrome) to Auckland, seven days a week, with up to two return flights daily, one morning, one evening (schedule to be confirmed).

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  • SURVEY INSTRUCTIONS

  • This survey has three options:

    1. Business or Org- is for people answering on behalf of a business or organisation

    2. Individual/ household - is for private individuals and households

    3. Both - is for those who will utilise the air service for both personal and business.

    The survey takes about 5–7 minutes. Individual responses are confidential; only aggregated results will be shared with prospective operators.

    Questions marked (optional) can be skipped.

  • 1. In what capacity are you completing this survey today?*

  • Part 1: For businesses and organisations

  • Section A - About your business

  • Which sector best describes your business?*
  • How many people does your business employ (including yourself)?*
  • Where is your business based?*

  • Section B - How you travel now

  • How often does anyone from your business currently travel to Auckland for work?*
  • How do you usually get to Auckland? (tick all that apply)*
  • Think about your last work trip to Auckland via Wellington or Palmerston North. Counting mileage, parking, and your travel time, what do you estimate that trip really cost your business - on top of the airfare?*
  • Have you ever cancelled, avoided, or scaled back business activity in Auckland because getting there from the Wairarapa is too hard or expensive?*

  • Section C - Using the service

  • If a reliable service flew between Masterton and Auckland seven days a week, how often would your business use it?*
  • What is the most your business would pay for a one-way fare between Masterton and Auckland? (For comparison: driving to Wellington Airport and back costs roughly $300 per return trip in vehicle running costs and parking alone, before valuing your time.)*
  • The service is planned to offer a morning return flight and an evening return flight, seven days a week. Which would your business use most?*
  • Which THREE factors matter most to your decision to use the service? (tick up to three)*

  • Section D - Backing the service

  • A start-up regional route needs more than goodwill - it needs committed revenue. The options below are some ways Wairarapa businesses have already committed to support the service's early years. Ticking a box is an expression of interest, not a binding commitment.
  • Would your business buy a discounted pre-paid package of 10 return flights up front (transferable between staff)?*
  • Launch marketing fund: would your business gift funds to help market the new service? (For example, $500 from 50 businesses creates a $25,000 launch marketing fund to be spent by Destination Wairarapa. Contributing businesses would be publicly recognised as founding supporters.)*
  • Underwriting: would your business consider helping underwrite the airline's break-even point in its first year, in return for ongoing marketing visibility and public recognition?*
  • Reserved seat: would your business reserve a specific seat on every flight on selected days of the week - for example, seat 2A guaranteed for your business every Monday and Friday, and you pay every time?*
  • Which forms of recognition would be most valuable to your business as a supporter? (tick all that apply)*

  • Business Contact details

  •  -
  • Yes, add us to the Masterton-Auckland Air Service supporter database and keep us updated*
  • Yes, add our business to the Business Wairarapa database.*
  • Business respondents: you're done - please go to 'Before you go' at the end of this survey. If you also travel to Auckland privately, we'd love you to complete Part 2 as well.

  • Part 2: For private individuals and households

  • This part is for anyone who travels between the Wairarapa and Auckland for personal reasons - seeing family and friends, holidays, events, study, medical appointments, or connecting to international flights. Auckland-based friends and whanau of Wairarapa people: your answers count too - the plane flies both ways!

  • Section A - About you

  • Where do you live?*
  • Including yourself, how many people are in your household?*

  • Section B - How you travel now

  • How often do you (or your household) currently travel between the Wairarapa and Auckland?*
  • How do you usually make the trip? (tick all that apply)*
  • What are your main reasons for travelling to or from Auckland? (tick all that apply)*
  • Think about your last trip to Auckland. Counting petrol or mileage, parking, and your time, what do you estimate the trip really cost - on top of any airfare?*
  • Have you ever skipped a family visit, event, or trip to Auckland because getting there from the Wairarapa is too hard or expensive?*

  • Section C - Using the service

  • If a reliable service flew between Masterton and Auckland seven days a week, how often would you or your household use it?*
  • What is the most you would pay for a one-way fare between Masterton and Auckland? (For comparison: driving to Wellington Airport and back costs roughly $300 per return trip in vehicle running costs and parking alone, before valuing your time.)*
  • The service is planned to offer a morning return flight and an evening return flight, seven days a week. When would you most likely fly? (tick all that apply)*
  • Which THREE factors matter most to you? (tick up to three)*

  • Section D - Backing the service

  • A start-up regional route needs more than goodwill - it needs committed revenue. Ticking a box is an expression of interest, not a binding commitment.
  • Would you buy a discounted pre-paid package of 10 return flights up front?*
  • Would you support the launch in any of these ways? (tick all that apply, this is an expression of interest, not a commitment)*

  • Contact details

  • Yes, add me to the Masterton-Auckland Air Service supporter database to receive updates*
  • Yes, add me to the Business Wairarapa database*

  • Before you go - one last thing

  • Please send this survey on. Forward the survey link to as many people as you can across the Wairarapa AND Auckland - colleagues, staff, customers, friends, family, sports clubs, school communities.

    Every extra response makes the case stronger, and Auckland-based responses show airlines there's demand at both ends of the route.

    Aggregated results will be shared with prospective operators and published to the supporter database.

    COPY AND PASTE THIS LINK TO SHARE: https://form.jotform.com/262237819194869

    Cost sources: NZ Inland Revenue kilometre rate 2025-26 (Tier 1 petrol, $1.20/km); Wellington Airport published drive-up parking rates; Palmerston North Airport general car park rates from 1 July 2025; driving distances via SH2. Figures are indicative for a typical petrol vehicle and rounded.

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