No plans for air passenger service

Queenstown airport might be struggling to keep up with increased demand but that does not mean passengers are likely to be offered flights to Wanaka Airport soon.

As reported by the Otago Daily Times last week, expansion of Queenstown Airport is constrained by a lack of available land.

Queenstown Airport Corporation chief executive Scott Paterson warned unless more land could be obtained, the number of visitors flying to the resort could be capped and some might have to take the bus.

''High-value travellers'' in corporate jets had already been turned away because of a lack of space, he said.

Yesterday, in response to ODT inquiries, Mr Paterson indicated Wanaka did not feature in the corporation's plans to deal with passenger growth.

''Often airports within an hour of each other struggle to compete, so we are working on plans [for Wanaka] which complement the services at Queenstown Airport,'' he said.

These included flight training, adventure aviation, airshows, aeronautical maintenance and support functions.

Mr Paterson said this was where Wanaka Airport's growth would come from, and he provided the example of Nasa proposing to base its scientific balloon flights there.

In 2012, Mr Paterson said Wanaka was ''on the cusp'' of 139 certification which would enable it to land aircraft with more than 30 passengers, such as Air New Zealand's ATR-72s.

The issue then was about planes bound for Queenstown being diverted to Dunedin or Invercargill, rather than Wanaka, during bad weather.

Asked about progress with 139 certification, Mr Paterson said yesterday Wanaka Airport did not have it.

''We believe there are some great opportunities for Wanaka separate to scheduled airport traffic.''

South Island airports with 139 certification include Timaru, Te Anau-Manapouri, Dunedin, Christchurch, Marlborough, Nelson, Westport, Invercargill, Hokitika and Queenstown.

Scheduled air services to Wanaka ended in 2013.

Wanaka Chamber of Commerce president Alistair King said the idea of storing corporate jets at Wanaka Airport had been investigated but it was found the cost of providing security was too high.

Mr King said the chamber believed Wanaka Airport was ''there to be developed''.

mark.price@odt.co.nz

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