Air traffic services’ fate still hangs in balance
The fate of New Plymouth’s air traffic control tower is still in the balance, but if the service is withdrawn it would have no effect on operations or safety, the airport’s chief executive has assured passengers.
‘‘There’s nothing set down in concrete,’’ Wayne Wootton, of airport company Papa Rererangi i Puketapu, said following reports the tower was set to close.
Two months ago, the air navigation service provider, Airways, announced it was proposing to withdraw services from regional airports in New Plymouth, Hawke’s Bay, Gisborne, Rotorua and Invercargill.
Airways is responsible for managing all domestic and international air traffic operating within New Zealand’s 30 million square kilometres of airspace.
Last month, New Plymouth mayor Neil Holdom launched an online petition against removing air traffic controllers from the regions.
The petition garnered the support of thousands.
On Tuesday, Airways chief executive Graeme Sumner announced it would be pressing ahead with the plan, which was drawn up in response to the decline in flight numbers caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
But this is not the end of the matter. With the proposal now confirmed, Wootton said each airport would undergo an aeronautical study to determine whether the air required.
This could take months, he said.
‘‘Until the outcome of that study is known, Airways will continue to man the tower.
‘‘They’ll maintain a service until such time that a decision is made on whether we need that service or not.’’
If the study finds that New Plymouth traffic service up to was six
Airport needs the service, then discussions would begin with Airways on how it would be provided. Wootton said the priority was safety.
‘‘If the study determines that we don’t need air traffic services, then we obviously don’t need it, so withdrawing the service shouldn’t affect us at all.’’ Meanwhile, flights in and out of New Plymouth are set to increase next week, and then again in June.
The airport’s new $28m terminal opened on March 17 but closed on April 4 when Air New Zealand stopped flights to many regions as part of level 4 lockdown restrictions.
Last week, Air New Zealand began a restricted flight schedule at New Plymouth, with flights to and from Auckland and Wellington.
Wootton said the New Plymouth terminal was seeing ‘‘quite a few passengers’’. ‘‘It’s going really well.’’