This week local aviation company Sunair announced an expansion of its Coromandel services by introducing twice-daily flights connecting Whitianga and Auckland.

Chief executive Dan Power says they are also working on the details to establish a service that would connect Tauranga and Whakatane.

Local aviation company Sunair announced an expansion of its services this week. Photo: File

'We are still in talks with airport owners currently, but negotiations are going good,” he says.

Following Air New Zealand's decision to make cuts to its regional airline service, Sunair expressed interest in servicing Whakatane Airportwith a fleet of 12-seater Cessna Caravan, plus ten Piper Aztec planes.

Since 2010 Sunair has offered once-daily flights from Tauranga to Whitianga and Great Barrier Island, but there are no plans to increase the number of flights.

Starting next week the Coromandel expansion sees flights departing from Whitianga Airfield at 7.30am, arriving at Ardmore Airfield in South Auckland 20 minutes later.

Flights return to Whitianga by 3.30pm and a one-way ticket cost $120 for adults and $90 for children 16-years and under.

Dan says since this week's announcement has seen the company receive a lot of positive feedback.

He says: 'We've got good support from the local council (Thames Coromandel District Council) because they want to encourage growth - mainly in tourism - within the Coromandel.

'Local businesses also see it as a way of moving urgent freight and certainly the people living on Great Barrier Island will enjoy the frequent connections to Whitianga and Tauranga.”

Dan says their expanded service has no connection to Air New Zealand pulling out of certain routes as they 'never serviced the Coromandel Peninsula because it was too small for them”.

But the national carrier has certainly offered its help, says Dan

'Air NZ have been most helpful,” he adds. 'They have provided us with all the statistics on these routes which is vital information for us.”

He also believe there is an opportunity for Sunair to expand on these routes 'once Air NZ vacate them.”

Sunair are also currently investigating the feasibility of servicing the Kaitaia and Auckland route, says Dan.

For more information or to book visit: www.sunair.co.nz or call: 0800 786 247.