New Zealand's Airport

This article discusses Auckland Airport, considered to be Australasia's second busiest international airport after Sydney, Australia. Auckland serves as hub to 30 international airlines, the largest of which include Air New Zealand, Qantas, and Emirates. Also noted is the fact that more than 70% of international visitors to New Zealand either enter or leave the country via Auckland, which handles more than 12 million passengers annually. Among international passengers, those from India and China show strong growth rates, though domestic travelers within Australia and New Zealand comprise 60% of the airport's usage. Because passenger demand is on an upward trend, strategic development is a major ongoing concern for the airport. Projects within Auckland's master plan include improvements to infrastructure and facilities, in anticipation of handling 24 million passengers annually by 2025, effectively doubling the airport's present capacity. Key projects include stage one expansion of the international terminal (scheduled for completion in mid-2008); renovation of the domestic terminal (to accommodate operations for Air New Zealand, Qantas, and the new Pacific Blue); an expanded airbridge (called Pier B) to connect the new expanded arrival area and provide two new contact gates. Also underway is stage two expansion of the international terminal, which involves the arrival gate area. Its 2011 completion schedule is timed for New Zealand to host the Rugby World Cup. Other projects discussed in the article include runway development, the Terminal Hotel project (proposing development of a 250-room four or five star hotel to be located next to the international terminal), information technology and telecommunications developments (including ongoing infrastructure expansion of Auckland's wireless network), and environmental measures to address noise and fuel emission/consumption issues. Looking at the airport's long-term prospects, the article notes a projected increase in both regional and international tourism to and from New Zealand, spurred by competitive airfares and a strong foreign exchange rate for the Kiwi dollar. Despite a slowdown within the present macroeconomic environment internationally, Auckland's revenues are still forecast to grow by 7% for 2008.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/37505394
• Authors:
  • Huse, Don
• Publication Date: 2008

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Photos;
• Pagination: pp 52-55
• Serial:
  • International Airport Review
  • Volume: 12
  • Issue Number: 3
  • Publisher: Russell Publishing Limited
  • ISSN: 1366-6339
  • Serial URL: http://www.russellpublishing.com/pages/airport/airport1.html

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Airport operations; Airport terminals; Airports; Domestic; Forecasting; International travel; Terminal operations
• Identifier Terms: Air New Zealand; Auckland International Airport; Emirates (Airline); Pacific Blue Airlines; Qantas Airways
• Uncontrolled Terms: Passenger demand
• Geographic Terms: Auckland (New Zealand); Australasia; New Zealand
• Subject Areas: Aviation; Planning and Forecasting;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01117882
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Dec 30 2008 12:36PM