Dunedin has felt the brunt of Air NZ cuts in the past, leaving the Dunedin City Council and business representatives, scrambling around, hosting Air NZ officials and generally trying to ensure the services through Dunedin International Airport remain - or even grow. Mr Carter hit back, reminding Mr Jones the airline is a commercial entity with a duty to do the best for the company. Whether Air NZ can still be called a "national carrier" in the wider sense is a moot point. Let us also remember, Mr Jones has a $3billion Provincial Growth Fund to spend before the next election. Strangely, two mayors were interviewed and supported Mr Jones' claims of neglect by Air NZ in their regions.

Source: Otago Daily Times March 22, 2018 15:11 UTC