Questions on airport

I was interested to read the report from the airport manager about the four disrupted flights last Monday, February 25 due to high winds.

By my count, if all flights were full, this would have affected up to 240 greatly inconvenienced passengers who would have had to change their plans.

Not a good look for New Plymouth as a tourist destination.

And why? Because the airport does not have a north-south sealed runway, a facility that has been lacking for years.

This shortcoming will become even more evident with the increased frequency of flights and the greater numbers of passengers carried by the larger size of aircraft using the airport.

Arguments against have been the cost and that such strong winds occur only a few times each year, but if New Plymouth wishes to gain a reputation as a first-class regional airport in line with its new terminal building, then the northsouth runway needs to be constructed with some urgency.

For the benefit of those passengers who were affected on Monday, I would like to ask Mr Wootton, airport manager if he would kindly answer the following questions:

1. Does PRIP in conjunction with council have plans for sealing the north south runway and if so, when is this likely to take place?

2. The safety margin at the ends of the east-west runway is barely adequate for the ATR-600 aircraft. When are these to be extended?

Derek Quickfall, New Plymouth