Kiwijet Airline

On the 2nd May 2007, Patrick Liam Weil (from Florida, USA) floated plans for a low-cost airline, Kiwijet Airline, to begin operating flights from Christchurch: "New Zealand is the only country in the world that does not have a low-cost airline and that's what I do for a living. I create airlines. I've had some good luck and some bad luck, but New Zealand is exactly the correct place to do this because the geographic difficulties of getting from the North to the South Island are enormous."

Kiwijet planned launch date

Kiwijet's original planned launch date was December 2007. When Qantas turned down Kiwijet's offer to purchase their New Zealand operation (Jetconnect), Kiwijet revised their launch date to the Spring of 2008. On the 25th July 2007 Kiwijet set their launch date at the 25th November 2008.

Kiwijet Routes

On the 25th July 2007 Kiwijet revised their planned flights to be to the cities of Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Hamilton, Invercargill, Nelson, Palmerston North, Tauranga and Wellington. Previously the plans had been:

Kiwijet hope to coordinate its plans with the following airlines in Auckland and Christchurch : Cathay Pacific, Emirates, Japan Airlines, Jetstar, Korean Air, LAN Airlines and Qantas.

Kiwijet meals

Kiwijet plan on serving beverages and light snacks.

Kiwijet's frequent flier program

Kiwijet plan on running a frequent flier program.

Kiwijet Airline contact details

Plans are for the website to be operational from September 2007 at www.kiwijet.net (not www.kiwijet.com or www.kiwijet.co.nz). Radixx International, a Florida (USA) based company, is responsible for setting up the Kiwijet's internet booking system.

Kiwijet's Christchurch call centre is active at 064-03-377-0807; their address is 5 Washington Way, Christchurch, 8001.

Kiwijet airline's email address is kiwijet@bellsouth.net

Special fares

Kiwijet Airline plans to offer ‘Moonlight Special’ fares on late evening flights between Auckland and Christchurch, with passengers only being allowed to board with cabin baggage (thereby enabling the plane to transport post and parcels in the cargo hold).

No application received

Bill Sommer, a Civil Aviation Authority spokesman, said it had not received an application for an operating certificate for Kiwijet Airline.

Full name

Kiwijet Airline Company Limited.

Kiwijet Airline fleet

The plan to is to initially start services with seven, 50 passenger ERJ Embraer 145 Regional Jets (with the assistance of a United States airline who are currently operating these planes). All the aircraft will return to Christchurch at the end of each day.

Kiwijet Airline's CEO

Patrick L. Weil; who has acted as consultant to Easyjet in the UK and was Director of Customer Service for the USA no frills airline, Air Tran Airways prior to its merger with Valujet Airlines.

Is Kiwijet Airline a low-cost carrier?

Although it plans to offer low fares, it will provide free beer and wine.

Plans to acquire Jetconnect

On the 28th May 2007 Kiwijet put in a bid for the ground equipment and operating certificate of Jetconnect (Qantas' New Zeland operation). On the 19th of June 2007, Qantas informed Kiwijet that their proposal to acquire the Jetconnect operation in New Zealand had been turned down.

Kiwijet Airline's financing

Three unidentified investors (3 American and Japanese backers were, one of whom worked in the USA entertainment industry) funded Kiwijet Airlines to the tune of US$20 million. On the 19th June 2007, Kiwijet announced that they had secured an additional $US45 million in finance, bringing the total to $US65 million US dollars.

Did Kiwijet copy Air New Zealand's plans?

Air New Zealand's spokesman, David Jamieson told staff that although there was no evidence of a leak, "it was important they keep information commercially confidential. We found it quite coincidental that Kiwijet came up with some ideas very similar to things we have quietly been working on."

Kiwijet's response was: "We were quite flattered that Air New Zealand wants to launch a low cost carrier in our image. However we must point out that their corporate irresponsibility, by making emotional statements that Kiwijet had received confidential information is just foolish and improper. We strongly suggest that any further statement of this kind will promt us to take immediate legal action against any parties that make such statements."

"No industrial espionage at this point, it would be rather difficult to do from Miami Beach," says Weil.

Kiwijet Airline's full name

Kiwijet Airline Company Limited.

Kiwijet Airline's internet marketing partner

Optymise

Kiwijet Airline's press releases

25 May 2007 : Kiwijet Alive and Well

7 May 2007 : Response to Air New Zealand's claims that it was copying them

17 May 2007 : Kiwijet positioning document

17 May 2007 : Appointment of Radixx for web development

19 June 2007 : Proposal to Acquire NZ Jetconnect turned down

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