Queenstown Airport officially switched on its new $2 million runway lights system on Wednesday night.
CAA spokesman Bill Sommer, of Wellington, yesterday said the 124 lights added another layer of safety for operators, especially in poor weather and light conditions.
However, "airlines will have to make an application for [night flying] to be put on their operating specs for them to be cleared to do that, and we would have to be satisfied that they could do it and operate safely", Mr Sommer said.
"It would be a separate consideration for each airline."
Asked what issues carriers faced before they could service the resort at night, Mr Sommer said they included unmarked and unlighted obstacles, approach lighting, and the width of the runway, of which airlines and the airport were aware.
Airlines had to show they could operate aircraft at night, crews were trained correctly and the right equipment was on board, as Queenstown Airport approaches through mountains were complex.
Mr Sommer said he did not know the earliest when night services in Queenstown could start, as it was up to the airlines to lodge a proposal with the CAA. No airlines had done so yet, he said.
Air New Zealand operates between 50 and 70 return domestic services to and from Queenstown a week, depending on the season. International service frequency ranges from none to 15 return services a week, again depending on the season.
In summer, the earliest Air New Zealand departure is 7.35am and 8.25am in winter.
The latest departure is 5.40pm in summer and 4.10pm in winter.
In summer, its earliest arrival is 8am and in winter 9am, while its latest arrival is 8.05pm, or 5.10pm in winter.
Spokeswoman Marie Hosking, of Auckland, yesterday said Air New Zealand welcomed Queenstown Airport's addition of runway lights.
"However, in our view, there is more work to be done, including the installation of taxi and apron lights, as well as consultation with the CAA and airlines to agree operational processes for navigational approaches into Queenstown, before night flying can be considered."
Jetstar Group chief executive Bruce Buchanan said there was "very strong growth" potential for Queenstown and Jetstar's domestic and Australian services.
The lights opened up weekend getaways between Auckland and Queenstown, he said.
Jetstar already operates 22 services into Queenstown a week.
"In winter, six or seven hours is really the limit we can operate. Extending operating hours makes it possible to introduce a new range of services."
Queenstown Airport Corporation chief executive Steve Sanderson said the lights would be on in the evening and switched off when the airport closed for the night. He hoped the lights would open the door for airlines to seek approval to use fully the airport's consented hours of 6am to 10pm.
