Skyferry timetable October 1985 - The building of Picton airport

 

Skyferry timetable No.3 31 October 1985

Skyferry timetable No.3 31 October 1985

Skyferry was one of the more successful small airline ventures started up in the 1980s, with the company Outdoor Aviation Ltd of Wellington paying to develop what was a topdressing aircraft airstrip at Koromiko south of Picton, into a viable airport for its operations.  It launched services between Wellington Picton at a time when there was concern over the lack of competition for passenger trips between the islands by sea (noting the Air NZ flights from Wellington to Blenheim didn't go to Picton, but were also markedly more expensive than many were willing to pay.  By November 1985, Skyferry was operating the single-engined Cessna Caravan with 14 seats and luggage capacity to match.

As you can see from the timetable, it was a frequent daily service, with airfares designed to be competitive, including "ten-trip tickets" for those living in either Wellington or Marlborough seeking to commute or visit their respective holiday homes.  Skyferry also scheduled a shuttle service to meet flights at the airport in Picton to go to downtown Picton.

Skyferry's story is described in depth at 3rd Level NZ. It ultimately ended up in receivership in 1991, following expansion of services from Wellington to Blenheim (which meant competition with Air NZ). 

After Skyferry's collapse, some of its assets would be resurrected to become Soundsair, which is a different story and one that continues to this day!