NZ | Airports + Aviation News

[jarden]

I doubt they are interested in CHC anymore, as hardly no hotels open for the visitors to stay in the city. And it is a small market and not growing so not much chance at the moment.

[Indictable]

I think CHC is more of a 'watch this space' scenario for airlines.

[SYDNEY]

Air NZ wins quick benefits from Hobbit

Air New Zealand says it is already benefiting from The Hobbit, even before the movie's wide release. The airline paid for the rights to be the "official airline of Middle-earth" and has staked much of its marketing push for the next two years on the trilogy accompanied by themed planes and passenger experiences. Bookings in the United States almost doubled the day before last week's world premiere in Wellington and bookings were up by a third in Japan following a Hobbit promotion. And Tourism New Zealand, which is spending $10 million promoting The Hobbit trilogy, says visits to its website using Hobbit-related keywords were up 265 per cent last month compared with the previous three-month average. Air New Zealand's deputy chief executive Norm Thompson said the response had been significant, especially in the US. The airline runs "cyber Monday" promotions there, offering deals to top up flights and last week, when its website featured its Hobbit marketing, bookings increased 95 per cent. Just on 600 extra seats were sold than on other cyber Mondays. He said The Hobbit appeared to be a catalyst for those who wanted to visit taking the plunge. "The States is a frustrating market," Thompson said ... MORE

[camfloss]

Originally Posted by Indictable

I think CHC is more of a 'watch this space' scenario for airlines.

Here's hoping....

[jarden]

There appears to be only a very slender chance another company will step in immediately to maintain a daily air service between Wanaka and Christchurch once Air New Zealand's Eagle Air pulls out at the end of January. Dunedin's Mainland Air operated on the route almost 10 years ago but current managing director Mark Paterson was offering little hope the company would return to Wanaka when approached by the Otago Daily Times this week. ''I don't think there is anything likely to happen, to be honest. I suspect people will just drive over the hill and get the aircraft from Queenstown.'' Wanaka Airport is less than an hour's drive from Queenstown Airport, where large airlines compete for passengers. However, Mainland had not completely discounted the possibility of running its 10-seat Piper Chieftain on the Wanaka-Christchurch route, Mr Paterson said. ''We're still thinking about it; trying to work through it. ''There's nothing in place at present but it's always possible, depending on demand, I guess.'' Mr Paterson said one of the challenges of operating a small plane on a scheduled service was maintaining high passenger loadings. ''It doesn't take much to start losing money, so you just can't afford to do that in aviation. Unless you can be assured of a profitable business, you just can't afford to do it because you can run up costs so quickly.'' Eagle Air operates a 19-seat Beechcraft 1900D but Mr Paterson said operating a smaller aircraft on a scheduled service created potential problems, particularly with handling large amounts of luggage. As well, although a service could operate with one pilot, passengers generally preferred to see two people up front and at the moment there was a worldwide shortage of pilots. Mr Paterson did not consider there was anyone else besides Mainland in a position to keep the service operating. Wanaka Airport manager Ralph Fegan said Air New Zealand began flying the Wanaka-Christchurch route about eight years ago, about two years after Mainland ceased its operation.
http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.com.au/

[jarden]

China Southern signs deal with Auckland Airport for more tourism promotion:

http://auckland.scoop.co.nz/2012/12/...ourism-growth/

Talk on other forum that CZ will bring their 787s to AKL soon as well.

[otumoetaiNZ]

I cant see any new international airline coming to hamilton anytime soon unfortunately and I agree its not because of the runway length.
Maybe its time to get other airlines into hamilton and one day tauranga.

Airport owners face dilemma over new airline

http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times...er-new-airline

Hamilton Airport's local council owners could, like Rotorua, launch a $1-million-a-year seduction campaign to lure an international carrier to the city, but they would be punished by ratepayers, airport chairman John Birch says.

Responding to a call for Hamilton Airport to follow the Rotorua District Council's example and offer a $1m annual financial sweetener to attract an airline, Mr Birch said the facts were that Rotorua's runway was shorter than Hamilton's, and that if Waikato councils did the same thing they would be "crucified in the court of public opinion".

Hamilton Airport lost its only international carrier, Virgin Australia, in October, which blamed lack of patronage for its exit.

Meanwhile, Waikato Chamber of Commerce president Tony Begbie said the airport company should be focusing its energies on matters other than chasing another international carrier.

The region should be trying to attract a strong and experienced equity partner that could bring cash to extend the runway and provide industry expertise and connections. Mr Begbie said there should also be increased effort to attract and "perhaps support" another domestic airline.

Rotorua last year committed $1m to a joint venture marketing programme with Air New Zealand to attract Australian visitors, saying the economic spinoff was about $50m to $100m a year.

Hamilton City councillor and founder of failed transtasman budget airline Kiwi Air Ewan Wilson has urged Hamilton Airport to use a similar tactic, before new legislation shifts the cost of setting up customs services onto airports or airlines next year.

Wilson this week blamed Hamilton Airport's failure to lengthen its runway for Rotorua being able to "reposition itself as the central North Island's gateway".

Mr Birch said Hamilton Airport was facing three appeals to its successful resource consent to extend the runway to 2900 metres. An extension would enable it to handle long-haul aircraft, including the new Boeing 777 and 788, although not the Airbus 380. It would cost at least $25 million to extend the runway.

The airport was constantly working to attract new airlines, Mr Birch said.

"If we had $1m a year for the first two years and could see we had tenure after that for an airline to stay on I wouldn't hesitate to go to them. But that is not the situation," he said.

"The fact is for them (airline) to remain, they have to make money. If they don't, they don't stay.

"The runway extension is a red herring. We don't have long-haul carriers waiting to fly into Hamilton."

Mr Birch said the airport was still working hard to attract Jetstar.

Mr Begbie said Rotorua's council had been "far more strategic" in recent years, while Hamilton's leaders had perhaps been distracted by governance issues.

The Hamilton City Council owns 50 per cent of the airport company. Other authorities in the region own the rest.

[KiwiGuy]

There aren't any other carriers domestically that aren't flying into Hamilton and Tauranga already on a regular basis. Any new airlines would have to come from overseas as international carriers.

Unless someone decides to start a new airline but I don't see that happening soon. Not with Air NZ having such a firm grip on domestic services.

[honeybear]

Originally Posted by otumoetaiNZ

I cant see any new international airline coming to hamilton anytime soon unfortunately and I agree its not because of the runway length.
Maybe its time to get other airlines into hamilton and one day tauranga.

Airport owners face dilemma over new airline

http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times...er-new-airline

Hamilton Airport's local council owners could, like Rotorua, launch a $1-million-a-year seduction campaign to lure an international carrier to the city, but they would be punished by ratepayers, airport chairman John Birch says.

Responding to a call for Hamilton Airport to follow the Rotorua District Council's example and offer a $1m annual financial sweetener to attract an airline, Mr Birch said the facts were that Rotorua's runway was shorter than Hamilton's, and that if Waikato councils did the same thing they would be "crucified in the court of public opinion".

Hamilton Airport lost its only international carrier, Virgin Australia, in October, which blamed lack of patronage for its exit.

Meanwhile, Waikato Chamber of Commerce president Tony Begbie said the airport company should be focusing its energies on matters other than chasing another international carrier.

The region should be trying to attract a strong and experienced equity partner that could bring cash to extend the runway and provide industry expertise and connections. Mr Begbie said there should also be increased effort to attract and "perhaps support" another domestic airline.

Rotorua last year committed $1m to a joint venture marketing programme with Air New Zealand to attract Australian visitors, saying the economic spinoff was about $50m to $100m a year.

Hamilton City councillor and founder of failed transtasman budget airline Kiwi Air Ewan Wilson has urged Hamilton Airport to use a similar tactic, before new legislation shifts the cost of setting up customs services onto airports or airlines next year.

Wilson this week blamed Hamilton Airport's failure to lengthen its runway for Rotorua being able to "reposition itself as the central North Island's gateway".

Mr Birch said Hamilton Airport was facing three appeals to its successful resource consent to extend the runway to 2900 metres. An extension would enable it to handle long-haul aircraft, including the new Boeing 777 and 788, although not the Airbus 380. It would cost at least $25 million to extend the runway.

The airport was constantly working to attract new airlines, Mr Birch said.

"If we had $1m a year for the first two years and could see we had tenure after that for an airline to stay on I wouldn't hesitate to go to them. But that is not the situation," he said.

"The fact is for them (airline) to remain, they have to make money. If they don't, they don't stay.

"The runway extension is a red herring. We don't have long-haul carriers waiting to fly into Hamilton."

Mr Birch said the airport was still working hard to attract Jetstar.

Mr Begbie said Rotorua's council had been "far more strategic" in recent years, while Hamilton's leaders had perhaps been distracted by governance issues.

The Hamilton City Council owns 50 per cent of the airport company. Other authorities in the region own the rest.

I cant believe how "out to lunch" some people are - and supposedly intelligent people in relatively well paid positions! Spending time and money lengthening Hamilitons runway with a view to attracting 777 and 787 is just nonsense! Why do small airports have this fixation with trying to get international flights and large aircraft operating there? History has shown it only leads to disaster - ie Kiwi Air, Freedom Air, Virgin... how many more times does this have to happen for some people to get it?

[SYDNEY]

China keen to link up with Air NZ

The head of China Southern Airlines wants to forge a relationship with Air New Zealand to build on each others' domestic networks. Although both airlines compete by flying to China, the Chinese carrier's president and chief executive Tan Wan'geng said they flew to different cities and he wanted representatives of his airline to meet their Air New Zealand counterparts to discuss his plans. An agreement with Air New Zealand could be a coup for that airline and this country's tourist operators wanting to capitalise on the fastest growing tourist market. Tan's airline has flown between Auckland and the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou for the past 18 months, more than doubling services after six months. "Right now we don't have flights within New Zealand so we hope we can co-operate with [Air] New Zealand on this," said Tan. "Air New Zealand only flies to Shanghai and don't have enough network support. If necessary we can offer this support." Air New Zealand said it welcomed discussions with any airlines on potential partnership activity ... MORE

[otumoetaiNZ]

Originally Posted by KiwiGuy

There aren't any other carriers domestically that aren't flying into Hamilton and Tauranga already on a regular basis. Any new airlines would have to come from overseas as international carriers.

Unless someone decides to start a new airline but I don't see that happening soon. Not with Air NZ having such a firm grip on domestic services.

Jetstar would be a good one to target.

[jarden]

This is not good, Wait and see if EK and SQ pull their CHC flights soon hopefully the Commerce Commission can step in quickly to sort it out:

Christchurch fees rise overcharging, say airlines

Airlines say they have made a huge effort to maintain services to Christchurch since the earthquakes, despite lower passenger volumes, and are extremely disappointed at an increase in airport landing charges.

Christchurch International Airport introduced a new set of charges on December 1 and they run through to 2017.

The Board of Airline Representatives (BARNZ) represents airlines including Emirates, Qantas, Jetstar, Air New Zealand, Air Pacific, Singapore Airlines and Virgin Australia.

The airlines generally feel the new charges are too high, particularly given the commitment to Canterbury and the airport after the quakes.

BARNZ executive director John Beckett said members viewed the landing charge levels as well above those justified by the Commerce Commission's guidelines.

"Astonishingly, the airport has set this level of charges in an attempt to make a 13.6 per cent return on capital before tax. The Commerce Commission guidelines give a return of 9 per cent before tax, which is overly generous," Beckett said.

However, Christchurch airport chief executive Jim Boult disputed the figure, saying the airport was making about a 7 per cent return on capital after tax. Even the before tax figure would be nowhere near the 13.6 per cent figure suggested by BARNZ, he said.

"I have no idea how he comes by his figures, but our position is the return on aeronautical assets averaged over the pricing period that we've set of four years is just over 7 per cent (after tax)," Boult said.

In response, Beckett said he was standing by the 13.6 per cent return on capital figure for the airport, with that figure provided by the airport as part of an "aero pricing strategy model" spreadsheet about the price increases. The new charges included increases of over 40 per cent for aircraft operated by international operators over the new pricing period, Beckett said. "For wide-bodied aircraft, this amounts to increases of over $2000 per movement."
Over the period through to 2017 the airport would be charging airlines $55 million more than was justified under the commission's approach. The overcharging would either fall upon the travellers in the form of increased airfares or on the airlines themselves, Beckett said.

The Commerce Commission was due to review the Christchurch International Airport pricing changes in the first quarter of 2013, with a report by September 2013. That followed reviews of Wellington and Auckland airports by the commission.

"It's up to the Government to then decide if what the Commerce Commission reveals is bad enough for the Government to do something about it," he said

.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/rebu...g-say-airlines

[KiwiGuy]

Originally Posted by otumoetaiNZ

Jetstar would be a good one to target.

I dunno. Their reputation isn't exactly top notch.

I think it's a shame that Virgin and ANZ have their agreement as it is. It means ANZ is slowly creating a monopoly, or at least trying to create one, on all its domestic routes.

[Richard7666]

^I remember Hamilton, Invercargill, and somewhere else I don't recall were on Jetstar's "considering" list back when they first started up but that's come to nothing.

The Invercargill City Council holding company has ploughed $3 million into "routine" maintenance for the city airport, in the process taking almost complete control of it.

Invercargill City Holdings (Holdco) announced it had bought $3m worth of shares in the airport yesterday.

The airport had offered $3m of shares to both Holdco and the Crown, its two existing shareholders, so it could afford maintenance work on its taxiway and apron.

The Crown declined to invest, saying it was under capital restraint.

Holdco's $3m buy was unanimously approved by the council during the public-excluded session at the full council meeting on December 11.

Holdco now owns 97.19 per cent compared to its 55 per cent stake before the buy.

The Crown's share has been diluted from 45 per cent to 2.81 per cent.

The airport made a profit of just $3274 in 2010-2011.

Holdco deputy chairman Cam McCulloch said the airport did not have the resources to do the work without capital investment.

It may have to raise its landing fees, the main source of its profits, in order to boost its operational funds, he said.

"[The fees] might not have been sufficient and may need to go up in the future."

Mr McCulloch said the $3m investment would not have an affect on Holdco's annual dividend to the council, which was forecast to be $3.7m this financial year.

"It is not going to affect the return. It doesn't come out of the [Holdco] profit . . . it will reduce the income in the short term but it does not affect the projected dividend."

Airport company chairman Joe O'Connell denied it was effectively a $3m bailout from the council.

He said council investment was positive and showed its commitment to infrastructure.

"What this is about is supporting a very important infrastructure asset . . . you can view it as no different to water or sewerage or roading."

The landing fees were going to have to increase to support the infrastructure the airport needed, he said.

"The reality is these airports aren't cheap to run."

Asked if the airport could get private investment, he said it would be difficult.

"It's a not a particularly attractive business proposition . . . [regional airports are] a very challenging business to be in but very important for all regions."

http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-tim...irport-control

[KiwiGuy]

Air NZ's new scheme on its latest ATR 72-600:

[jarden]

Black is so depressing its associated with death, Its going to replace all the current livery, its goodbye to the old teal colours that go back to 1940. Which is a step backwards and a mistake in my opinion and it will put people off flying Air NZ too.

[Rooty]

I think it looks piratey.

[KiwiGuy]

Originally Posted by jarden

Black is so depressing its associated with death, Its going to replace all the current livery, its goodbye to the old teal colours that go back to 1940. Which is a step backwards and a mistake in my opinion and it will put people off flying Air NZ too.

I don't think people really have a choice domestically.

[nthbeach]

I don't think that changing the colour to black is going to put people off flying ANZ. Peoples choices are made on price, service and consistency reputations not the colour of the tail.
I too perfer the teal over the black but I think over time it will grow on me. If anything, I think the fusalage misses the swooshes at the front, if those were still there and in black, it would look quite cool.

[Indictable]

Let's not fly Air NZ because they have a black colour scheme but they have amazing service. But that's totally outweighed by the fact that there is black on the outside of the plane which I cannot see....