Air New Zealand is donating 8000 inflight blankets, now no longer in use, to charities as the airline’s home country heads into winter.

The chairman of Victoria busiest regional airport has said the business is “falling through the cracks” because it’s ineligible for government support.

The flight, the first of six, is part of a new Australian government initiative to underwrite agriculture and fisheries airfreight routes cut off by the coronavirus crisis.

Round seven of the Remote Airstrip Upgrade (RAU) Program will see $9 million spent on work such as improving runway surfaces or installing lighting.