Tauranga Airport has a new player on the domestic flight circuit, with Kiwi Regional Airlines unveiling plans for regular, six-day-a-week flights between Tauranga and Palmerston North.

Kiwi Regional Airlines say while it still needs to get certification, it aims to be in the air by the end of the year, including a flight arriving into Tauranga from Palmerston North, before returning after a short stop.

Kiwi Regional Airlines will be offering a domestic flight between Tauranga and Palmerston North from later this year. Photo: Supplied.

The return flight will allow Nelson-bound passengers to travel on a single ticket, connecting in Nelson with a second KRA flight bound for Queenstown.

Initially, passengers will be flown by two SAAB 340 34-seater aircraft – a twin-engine, twin-pilot, pressurised plane.

KRA chief executive Ewan Wilson is 'thrilled” to be able to offer the Bay of Plenty important direct routes that are being exited by the national carrier.

Air New Zealand plans to scrap a number of regional services around the country including Kaitaia, Whakatane and Westport services from April.

Whangarei to Wellington, Taupo to Wellington and Palmerston North to Nelson services will also be scrapped and Hamilton to Auckland will be gone from February 2016.

'Our name says a lot,” says Ewan. 'Regional New Zealand has been left off the air route map unless you want to travel to the three largest centres.

'We intend to complement existing offerings to fill the gaps and to make travel between regional centres as fast and affordable as possible.

'We will not be competing directly with the national carrier.”

As well as improved opportunities for travellers, KRA expects the operations will create employment and tourism opportunities, and are in consultation with relevant organisations in the different regions that will be serviced about these opportunities.

Three routes are planned initially, but Ewan says: 'Approaches from, and discussions with other regional centres show there is a greater demand, and we are actively considering other possibilities.”

The direct flights will be between Auckland, Hamilton, Nelson and a connection to Queenstown.

Flights from Palmerston North to Blenheim, Nelson, Tauranga and the North Shore will also be offered, along with one from the North Shore to Wellington.