Photo: suppliedWhile Air New Zealand does not see the lack of airline competition in New Zealand as a problem, Dunedin Airport and many other regional airports around the country do. Air NZ holds more than 80% of domestic capacity and a monopoly on 80% of domestic air routes — making it one of the most concentrated domestic aviation markets in the world. However, New Zealand Airports Association chief executive Billie Moore believed it was a problem, particularly for regional travellers and businesses across the country, because without aviation competition, regional air routes were more expensive. "Like many New Zealand airports, we have seen schedules change over time as airlines respond to demand, fleet availability and network priorities." She said on routes with Jetstar competition, Air NZ dropped fares by 4% and increased capacity by 0.6%.

Source: Otago Daily Times February 20, 2026 15:34 UTC