Dunedin’s teen flight campaigner meets with PM

Wednesday, 3 April 2024

Benjamin Paterson meets with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon.

Benjamin Paterson, 14, started a campaign to have international flights reinstated to Dunedin Airport.
The Brisbane to Dunedin flight operated by Virgin Australia ended due to the pandemic.
He has collected signatures for a petition, and met Prime Minister Luxon to discuss his campaign.

A teen wanting to have international flights return to Dunedin has taken his campaign to the prime minister, who knows a thing or two about how airlines are run.

Benjamin Paterson, 14, of Mosgiel, is on a mission to have a trans-Tasman flight reinstated with Dunedin Airport, after a weekly Virgin Australia flight between Brisbane and Dunedin became a casualty of the pandemic.

But high-flying Taieri College student, who is working towards getting his pilot licence at the local aero club, started a petition to have flights reinstated and has so far collected more than 25,000 signatures.

That campaign also got him 20 minutes with Luxon, a former Air New Zealand chief executive, where the pair talked about flying, airlines and the campaign on Wednesday.

“It was an amazing experience and it was great to chat about how airlines work and about the campaign,” Paterson said.

Luxon said it was great to meet Benjamin and his mother, and “I wish him all the best and I’m sure he will make an excellent pilot one day”.

Benjamin Paterson, 14, takes questions at the Dunedin City Council over his efforts to have international flights reinstated to Dunedin Airport.

“We had a great conversation about aviation and air services, but ultimately decisions about routes are a matter for Dunedin Airport and the airlines.”

Late last year Paterson presented his case to the Dunedin City Council, telling councillors that in addition to his petition, people had expressed their frustration that the lack of international flights was impacting families on both sides of the Tasman.

His research had revealed that the most popular route from the city was Brisbane, then the Gold Coast, Melbourne and Sydney.

He told council that it was unlikely that Air New Zealand would fly the route, which was due to a shortage of aircraft across their network.

As part of his campaign Paterson had contacted a range of airlines including Air New Zealand, Jetstar, Fiji Airways, Rex Airlines, and Bonza.

That campaign was sparked after the family went to Australia last year, but had to fly via Wellington and then later return into Christchurch.