NZ could become airline hub
New Zealand could become a popular stopover point for airlines if rules around transit visas were relaxed, opening up new routes for passengers, the Ministry of Transport says.
An MoT briefing paper, released under the Official Information Act, suggests New Zealand would become a more attractive prospect for international airlines if transit visa requirements were relaxed.
Currently New Zealand allows citizens of 60 countries to transit through the country without a visa while on their way to their final destination, while a further 24 countries are subject to a transit visa waiver.
People travelling to Australia who hold a valid visa are also exempt.
But those from other countries, including China and India, are required to apply for the $120 visa waiver.
When they arrive in New Zealand they pass through transit security but not immigration and are not allowed to leave the airport.
In 2015, 1471 transit visa applications were processed with the majority from Fiji, China and India.
Immigration New Zealand advised the Ministry it was not aware of any conclusive evidence that suggested the visas were a significant barrier for anyone intending on coming to New Zealand.
But the briefing stated it was unknown how many transit passengers were dissuaded from even considering travelling through New Zealand because of the requirement.
Airlines, as well as airports, had identified visa policy as a barrier to setting up routes that used New Zealand as a hub, it said.
If an Asian or South American airline introduced a service using Christchurch or Auckland as a hub it would attract additional passengers and visitors and provide more promotion for New Zealand.
‘‘While currently the numbers of passengers travelling between Asia and New Zealand is small, there is potential for growth.
‘‘The International Air Transport Association forecasts that global air travel will double over the next 20 years, and much of this will come from emerging economies in Asia and South America.’’
Aviation industry commentator Irene King said transit visas were an ‘‘anachronism’’ because security had drastically improved at airports.
‘‘It just removes an impediment to travel and especially now, when the thrust of international transit is to make the flow as easy as possible.’’
Transport Minister Simon Bridges said there would be no immediate move to remove the requirements for transit visas, but he’d investigate them as part of the work to grow tourism and trade. ‘‘This could encourage more airlines and more flights – particularly to these long-haul destination – to operate with New Zealand as a stopover.’’
In the past financial year more than half a million passengers transited through New Zealand, able to spend money at a shopping and food area within Auckland airport. Removing transit visas would make New Zealand more attractive to airlines looking for a stopover point on new routes bringing more people – and their wallets – into the cities.
A prime example was a China to South America route, with New Zealand perfectly placed as a stopover.
‘‘When people have a choice between a route that has a transit visa and one that doesn’t, all things being equal they’re likely to choose the other,’’ Auckland Airport’s aeronautical and commercial general manager Norris Carter said.