UPDATED 6:37pm: Air New Zealand's decision to cancel flights between Christchurch and Japan has riled a local MP.

The airline says it wants to concentrate on its existing daily service between Tokyo and Auckland.

Christchurch central MP Nicky Wagner isn't happy.

"We certainly want to maintain as many services as we can in Christchurch because it is the entree to the South Island."

City leaders also fear it indicates a desire to centralise international flights out of Auckland.

However, Air New Zealand Chief Sales and Commercial Officer Cam Wallace says that's wrong.

"We're growing capacity into Christchurch, we're growing our demand from Australia, from domestic New Zealand.

"We see this as a small change based on customers asking us to deliver a different product, not about a structural change to the dynamics of Canterbury tourism."

Cabinet Minister Gerry Brownlee believes it has been Air New Zealand's plan for sometime to make Auckland its international hub.

He says the airline claims a status of a national carrier, but perhaps it needs to look at its name and consider re-branding as Air Auckland.

 

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters also believes this is part of an ongoing pattern.

"It's becoming like the government, it's just Auckland centric, it's Auckland focused and the rest of the country is falling by the wayside."