It has been a long wait but Kapiti Coast's newest airline is nearly ready to take off.

Air Chathams was welcomed to the airport yesterday by more than 4000 people before its Paraparaumu to Auckland service starts later this month.

The reinstated service comes as good news to locals - after outcry when Air New Zealand canned theirs earlier this year.

Some businesses were even considering moving out of the region if a service didn't come back.

Air Chathams General Manager Duane Emeny says ticket sales are starting slow as people realise the flights are back.

"I think that is getting through, especially locally, but of course that word of mouth needs to spread so that people who are in Auckland or abroad know about our service and then they can book on it," he says.

"We'll see that come through in the next couple of months."

The airline and planes made an appearance at the airport yesterday as well.

Kapiti's Mayor K Gurunathan says the return of domestic flights to the region is "really amazing."

"I've now fully recovered from the shock that I got in March with Air New Zealand," he says.

But, Duane Emeny says that having the community's approval will be key, before the flights get underway.

"It'll be really important for us as a family-owned airline to see the community come out and show their support in numbers."

Flights commence in two weeks.