Greymouth-Chch air service

Press, 24 July 1985, Page 3

Greymouth-Chch air service

Greymouth reporter A new Greymouth-Christ-church and return air service is planned to start in mid-October. The manager of Coast Air Services, Mr John Royds, said yesterday that the company had bought a 20-pas-senger De Havilland Twin Otter from the Canadian Government for the service. The aircraft is due in New Zealand in six to eight weeks to undergo modifications to meet the transAlpine requirements. Extensive freight capacity was offered, and a door-to-door parcel and courier service would be offered along with a bulk freight service, said Mr Royds. The service has been ar-

ranged for an early-morning and early-evening daily return flight, with connections with other airlines from Christchurch. The Mayor of Greymouth, Dr Barry Dallas, commended the new service yesterday. Previous efforts at providing such a service had been laudable, but had failed through under-capi-talisation and unsuitable time-tables, he said. “The present enterprise has been thoroughly researched and has a healthy financial backing. “The timetables will enable Coasters to do sameday business in either Auckland or Invercargill. “Throughout New Zealand, aviation has boomed at this level since deregulation and it is only timely that the Coast should now be in on the benefits” said Dr Dallas.