Getting visitors into Queenstown and Nelson has been identified as critical for both South Island cities, where tourism and hospitality is a lifeblood.
Local leaders want restrictions around seating on domestic flights loosened, and quickly.
They say the need for spacing between plane seats is limiting tourist numbers and depriving them of cash to inject into ailing businesses.
Queenstown-Lakes mayor Jim Boult and the mayor of Nelson Rachel Reese speak to Corin Dann.
