Post by Officer Crabtree on Jun 10, 2011 18:09:01 GMT 12
Front page of the Mail tonight-the Nelson airport terminal is expanding to fit the large numbers of travellers on Fridays and Saturdays, but won't be looking at jets as it is uneconomic to run them.
$2m airport expansion plan to cope with more passengers
Expansion of the terminal at Nelson Airport is on the cards to help ease the Friday night and Saturday morning squeeze when hundreds of passengers now come and go in the space of an hour.
However, jet services are not on the radar and are unlikely ever to be, because it is not economic to operate them on short-haul regional services, a master plan for the airport has found.
The Nelson Airport company has released its draft long-term master plan that looks ahead to 2030. A significant development project earmarked in that time includes further terminal expansion to ease the busiest times.
There are now eight 50-seat Q300 aircraft movements between 6pm and 7pm on Friday, followed by seven aircraft from 9am-10am on Saturday.
Nelson Airport board deputy chairwoman Annette Milligan said the expansion had been earmarked for the 2012-13 financial year for planning purposes, but it did not mean the provisional $2 million project was set in concrete for that time. "It's very draft – it's very tentative, but it's easier to defer something than bring it forward," she said.
The company said in its report that while streamlined check-in services had alleviated some of the pressure on the terminal and had allowed "busy hour" traffic to increase to eight aircraft without terminal expansion, a further increase in passengers during those busy times would require terminal expansion.
Ms Milligan said expansion had been factored into planning some time ago, and the cost would be covered by the company and not its shareholders, the Nelson and Tasman councils.
"We constantly monitor the flow of passengers through the terminal, and there was a reduction in flights in recent years in line with the economic downturn. That delayed thoughts of expansion then – there's no point in doing it until it's required – and when it's required we will be ready to go," Ms Milligan said.
She said the current building was serving its purpose well and while it was not at "bursting point", the company had to plan for future needs.
Nelson Airport is home to Air New Zealand's regional subsidiary, Air Nelson, which operates a regional air fleet under the Link brand with a fleet of 23 Bombardier Q300 aircraft.
Smaller airlines operate in the area and provide additional trans-Cook Strait passenger and freight services.
Strong growth in passenger numbers is predicted to continue with an annual 3.4 per cent rise through to 2016, followed by 2.6 per cent a year thereafter, according to independent aviation consulting group AirBiz.
International commercial flights, while not being completely discounted over a 20-year planning horizon, are considered extremely unlikely given the substantial cost of runway and run-off extensions, security considerations, and provision for customs and immigration services as well as the impact on surrounding areas with height and noise restrictions.
Regional jet operations are unlikely to be economic, especially given additional runway and run-off length required.
Nelson Airport is the international headquarters of Helicopters NZ. It also hosts aviation servicing companies providing maintenance and refurbishment facilities, with a particular focus on turbo prop aircraft and helicopters.
The extension of McLaren Dr has provided nine further hangar sites, and there is demand for more. In 2013, the Nelson Golf Club lease on the airport reserve adjacent to Bolt Rd expires and the land reverts to Nelson Airport's control. The company said it would require part of this land in the short-term for parking and additional hangar space for light aircraft. The number of car parks needed by 2030 was expected to double to 1000, the draft plan said.
- The Nelson Mail
$2m airport expansion plan to cope with more passengers
Expansion of the terminal at Nelson Airport is on the cards to help ease the Friday night and Saturday morning squeeze when hundreds of passengers now come and go in the space of an hour.
However, jet services are not on the radar and are unlikely ever to be, because it is not economic to operate them on short-haul regional services, a master plan for the airport has found.
The Nelson Airport company has released its draft long-term master plan that looks ahead to 2030. A significant development project earmarked in that time includes further terminal expansion to ease the busiest times.
There are now eight 50-seat Q300 aircraft movements between 6pm and 7pm on Friday, followed by seven aircraft from 9am-10am on Saturday.
Nelson Airport board deputy chairwoman Annette Milligan said the expansion had been earmarked for the 2012-13 financial year for planning purposes, but it did not mean the provisional $2 million project was set in concrete for that time. "It's very draft – it's very tentative, but it's easier to defer something than bring it forward," she said.
The company said in its report that while streamlined check-in services had alleviated some of the pressure on the terminal and had allowed "busy hour" traffic to increase to eight aircraft without terminal expansion, a further increase in passengers during those busy times would require terminal expansion.
Ms Milligan said expansion had been factored into planning some time ago, and the cost would be covered by the company and not its shareholders, the Nelson and Tasman councils.
"We constantly monitor the flow of passengers through the terminal, and there was a reduction in flights in recent years in line with the economic downturn. That delayed thoughts of expansion then – there's no point in doing it until it's required – and when it's required we will be ready to go," Ms Milligan said.
She said the current building was serving its purpose well and while it was not at "bursting point", the company had to plan for future needs.
Nelson Airport is home to Air New Zealand's regional subsidiary, Air Nelson, which operates a regional air fleet under the Link brand with a fleet of 23 Bombardier Q300 aircraft.
Smaller airlines operate in the area and provide additional trans-Cook Strait passenger and freight services.
Strong growth in passenger numbers is predicted to continue with an annual 3.4 per cent rise through to 2016, followed by 2.6 per cent a year thereafter, according to independent aviation consulting group AirBiz.
International commercial flights, while not being completely discounted over a 20-year planning horizon, are considered extremely unlikely given the substantial cost of runway and run-off extensions, security considerations, and provision for customs and immigration services as well as the impact on surrounding areas with height and noise restrictions.
Regional jet operations are unlikely to be economic, especially given additional runway and run-off length required.
Nelson Airport is the international headquarters of Helicopters NZ. It also hosts aviation servicing companies providing maintenance and refurbishment facilities, with a particular focus on turbo prop aircraft and helicopters.
The extension of McLaren Dr has provided nine further hangar sites, and there is demand for more. In 2013, the Nelson Golf Club lease on the airport reserve adjacent to Bolt Rd expires and the land reverts to Nelson Airport's control. The company said it would require part of this land in the short-term for parking and additional hangar space for light aircraft. The number of car parks needed by 2030 was expected to double to 1000, the draft plan said.
- The Nelson Mail
