Air NZ plots AKL “campus”

AIR New Zealand this morning advised staff of plans to centralise its Auckland operations, bringing all of its currently city-based staff under one roof at a refurbished campus at Auckland Airport.

The project includes the construction of a new aircraft hangar, along with a four-year investment to create a “worldclass aviation facility for Air NZ employees and its aircraft as the airline rebuilds”.

CEO Greg Foran said the move would future-proof the carrier’s infrastructure and also reduce its ongoing property costs.

“We’ve spent the last two years looking at how we can set ourselves up for success as we revive our airline,” he said.

“We know we work best when we work together, and we have plenty of underutilised space at the airport campus to make that happen...we’ll be creating an environment where the people who plan our future work alongside those who operate our aircraft and work with our customers every day,” Foran said.

“Globally, this way of working is delivering exceptional results for customers and shareholders, and this is the right time to get ready for a move as we prepare for the global recovery in aviation.”

Foran said the majority of Air NZ staff are based in Auckland, and it’s expected they will move to the airport facility in 2024.

He said Air New Zealand was already paying for a precinct at the airport which has more than enough space to meet “even our most ambitious growth projections,” and with building costs increasing and CBD leases coming to an end, “now is the time to get started on the work to bring our people together”.

He said the move was also an opportunity to set up a world class hybrid work environment.