The Frankton-based airport was awarded the ‘large airport of the year’ at the 2025 NZ Airports Awards, in Blenheim, on Tuesday night, recognising exceptional performance across the business.
New CEO Shane O’Hare says it’s an honour to accept the award on behalf of the Queenstown Airport team.
He started in the role on September 16 and says he’s already impressed by the "exceptional quality of the work being done and the calibre of the team".
O’Hare notes major projects, such as the installation of Australasia’s first engineered materials arresting system, have been completed while smooth operation of the airport continues.
That project, which sets a new benchmark for runway safety and resilience, was delivered within budget and ahead of schedule.
The judges also praised Queenstown Airport’s wider operational excellence, from innovative commercial initiatives to its strong community engagement, specifically referencing the Skippers casual eatery and bar in the international departures area, developed in response to passenger feedback.
The airport also launched the ZQN Community Fund, which distributes $50,000 per annum, to make it easy to administer one-off grants to charities doing valuable work in the Queenstown Lakes and Central Otago districts — it complements the airport’s long-standing partnerships programme, which contributes $150,000 a year.
The NZ Airports Association says together those achievements demonstrate a team that "consistently delivers world-class results in one of NZ’s most complex operating environments".
Queenstown Airport was also part of the Southern Way collaboration, also involving Invercargill and Dunedin airports, which won a ‘commercial initiative of the year’ award. The three airports work with eight regional tourism organisations to strengthen the lower South’s aviation network and visitor economy, while Dunedin Airport was named ‘medium airport of the year’.
