Air NZ touts for Whenuapai operation

Air New Zealand could operate up to 20 flights a day, during daytime hours, from a second Auckland airport at Whenuapai, its chief executive says.

Christopher Luxon said on Thursday that the airline wanted a second airport option for Auckland and it could be commercially viable to operate from Whenuapai, currently used by the Defence Force.

He said yesterday he had already had conversations with infrastructure company Infratil, which operates Wellington airport, and the two were working together to put a viable proposition to the Government. Luxon said he hoped conversations with Auckland Council and the Government would happen quickly but no meetings had yet been scheduled.

On Thursday, Defence Minister Ron Mark said he had been surprised by Luxon’s comments.

‘‘It is interesting that they are now discussing this publicly through the media before formally discussing it with Defence or me.’’

But Luxon said the airline had ongoing conversations with the Defence Force and had been involved in a broader review of Whenuapai and its future.

He said there were models around the world in which commercial operators operated alongside military.

When half of the residents of Auckland could spent 90 minutes in traffic getting to Mangere, it was a good discussion to have. He said travel times to the airport for customers in north and west Auckland could drop by up to 20 minutes.

The area around Whenuapai has become much more densely populated in recent years. But Luxon said that if Air NZ was to further explore the idea of operating flights there, it would engage with the community. It would be cheaper for the airline to operate from Whenuapai, which would help lower fares.

Luxon said New Zealand had an ‘‘infrastructure crisis’’ and needed to be open to talking about potential solutions.

But he said it was not part of an attempt by Air NZ to avoid having to pay for the ongoing multibilliondollar redevelopment of Auckland International Airport.

It would be the airline’s primary airport for the foreseeable future, he said.

Julia Parfitt, Hibiscus and Bays local board chairwoman, said the proposal was causing unnecessary worry in the community.

‘‘It looks like a cheap shot by Air NZ to put pressure on Auckland Airport at a time of commercial negotiations and when the airport is investing millions in new infrastructure,’’ she said.

Her counterpart on the Upper Harbour local board, Margaret Miles, agreed: ‘‘This has come out of the blue for residents, with no prior consultation or sharing of the business case Air NZ say they have prepared – a company which appears to have flip-flopped over the years on its position to develop a commercial airport at Whenuapai.

‘‘Only a decade ago, Air NZ did not support it.’’

The pair were on the North Shore City Council 10 years ago, when a similar proposal was brought up.

‘‘Since this matter was first considered, there are now thousands of new homes in the area and some have been built right up to the boundary fence of the air force base.

‘‘This development would have huge implications for those people.

‘‘It is important to remember that flight paths impact all of North Shore, especially the residents of Upper Harbour and East Coast Bays, who are immediately under the flight path to Whenuapai air base,’’ Miles said.

‘‘This has come out of the blue for residents.’’

Upper Harbour local board chairwoman Margaret Miles