Air New Zealand is cutting dozens of regional flights, including services to Tauranga, citing the ongoing impact of high jet fuel costs linked to the Middle East conflict.

The changes will run from late July to the end of October and include the removal of 84 return flights to Auckland, 45 to Wellington and 21 to Christchurch – largely affecting midday weekday services.

Some remaining services will be upsized to larger ATR72 aircraft to help offset the reductions.

Despite the cuts, Air New Zealand said it will still operate 1223 return flights to and from Tauranga over the three months, Bay of Plenty MP Tom Rutherford said on his Facebook page.

It’s the third time this year the airline has changed its flights.

In a statement to SunLive, an Air New Zealand spokesperson said the airline was making the changes to manage fuel use efficiently across its network.

“Due to the ongoing cost impact of the Middle Eastern conflict on jet fuel prices and the need to manage fuel as efficiently as we can, Air New Zealand is making further schedule changes for travel across the three-month period.”

The spokesperson said fewer than 2% of customers travelling between August and October would be affected, with most able to be rebooked on alternative flights on the same day.

“The longer period gives customers and other stakeholders more certainty for planning future travel.

“There are still millions of seats available to be booked both around New Zealand, and into and out of the country during this period.”

Affected customers will be contacted directly from today, and can opt for alternative flights, credit, or a refund if the new schedule does not suit their plans.

Customers who are not contacted can assume their flights are unchanged.

Speaking to SunLive, Rutherford said the reductions were concerning for the region, highlighting the importance of reliable air links.

“It’s not just about people going on holiday and visiting family and friends,” Rutherford said.

“Regional connectivity is really big for our local economy.”

He said Tauranga’s rapid growth made strong air connections essential for business, tourism and access to services, including travel for medical appointments.

“It’s going to have a big flow-on effect for the wider Bay of Plenty.”

Rutherford said he had contacted Air New Zealand to stress Tauranga’s importance but had yet to receive a response.

While acknowledging the airline’s reasoning, he said he expected services to be restored once fuel prices eased.

“As soon as fuel prices stabilise, we want to see our full service returned.”