The suggestion Auckland International Airport Ltd (AIAL) was looking to constrain tourism growth was "completely at odds" with its strategic plan, Auckland Airport communications adviser Andrew Pirie said yesterday.
On Tuesday night, Air New Zealand Australasian Group manager Bruce Parton released a statement to the Otago Daily Times, saying AIAL had displayed "significant greed" over several years and it would be "naive" to think the company was not aiming to increase airline and airport charges at Queenstown.
Mr Parton claimed that could ultimately push up the cost of travel into and out of the resort "and constrain tourism growth".
However, Mr Pirie said AIAL was "not running Queenstown Airport" and as a minority shareholder did not set the fees.
"We have no input at this stage whatsoever in terms of those charges.
"The suggestion ... that we're looking to do anything to constrain tourism growth is completely at odds with our strategic plan, which is to grow tourism."
Mr Pirie used Jetstar's announcement yesterday of additional flights between Melbourne and the Gold Coast to Queenstown and Auckland as an example of how the alliance would work in the future.
"It's not something we did with the alliance ... but that's exactly the sort of thing we're trying [to do]."
He was aware of some concern in the Queenstown community, which appeared to be focused around "the process" and why parties other than Auckland were not given a chance to gain a shareholding.
Mr Pirie said he shared Queenstown Airport Corporation chairman Mark Taylor's sympathy, but the process was for the Queenstown Lakes District Council to "sort out".
"Some councillors feel they should have been involved in the process earlier.
"I fully understand, from the councillors' point of view ... they have had to defend it, when they weren't responsible for it and that's not a great place to be."
The ODT understands several local investors are disappointed they were not given the opportunity to buy shares, while Christchurch Airport may also have been interested in a similar alliance.
Yesterday, Infratil, a New Zealand-based infrastructure company, was also reported to be "disappointed" it did not get the chance to buy in.
However, Mr Pirie said none of the parties could have provided the benefit from the alliance which AIAL could provide "in terms of access to passenger flows".
"It wasn't just about [QAC] getting money; it was capital [and] the right links."
Mr Taylor said Air New Zealand "should be worried" following the alliance, because as Queenstown Airport continued to grow, it had "more strength in its negotiations with airlines".
He said landing fees were set by the board following consultation with airlines, with the next review of landing fees being undertaken in 2012.
