A Boeing 737 aircraft has landed at Inia William Tuuta Memorial Airport.
The aircraft is the first ever jet to land at the airport in New Zealand’s Chatham Islands.
The 737 was able to land as the airport has completed a 480-metre extension to its existing runway, taking it from 1360m to 1850m. It’s also 45m wider.
The Chatham Islands are about 800km east of New Zealand’s South Island. The extended runway will allow increased connectivity to the islands, enhancing its economic development opportunities.
The actual aircraft was a Texel Air Australia Boeing 737-800,
Texel Air Australasia is a cargo airline, established in New Zealand in March 2023. The airline is a subsidiary of Bahrain-based cargo airline Texel Air.
Current flights at Tuuta Airport
Air Chathams operates scheduled passenger services between the Chatham Islands and several cities in mainland New Zealand, including Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington. It also flies from Auckland to Whakatāne and Whanganui.
The airline has 9 aircraft, but none are jets. The passenger fleet comprises ATR 72s and Saab 340s.
Flights to the mainland take between two and three hours.
Air Chatams main base is Chatham Islands / Tuuta Airport.
Internet links
Tuuta Airport (CHT)