On 11 November 2014, Air New Zealand announced that after a twelve-month operational performance review, all flying operations by Eagle Airways and its 19-seat fleet were to be shut down over a 20-month period beginning immediately, citing the unsustainable operating costs per seat of small aircraft and a growing demand for cheaper seats on regional services. The airline was sustaining an average loss of NZ$1 million per month on these routes. The airline planned to use the larger Q300 aircraft from Air Nelson on Eagle's more sustainable routes while dropping services to the smaller towns of Kaitaia, Westport and Whakatane altogether, along with the Hamilton - Auckland feeder route in February 2016. Also the Wellington to Taupo and Whangarei routes were discontinued. Final services were scheduled for 26 August 2016.