Winners and losers among regional airports
May 14th, 2009
Air NZ has confirmed it has embarked on a review of its regional network to maintain competitiveness “in the current tough market.” It has tapped Air Nelson GM, John Hambleton, to lead the review, which will focus on maximising synergies between the Air Nelson, Eagle Air and Mount Cook Airline units.
Key to the way the review plays out for the nation’s 25-plus airports will be the eventual home of support services such as heavy and line maintenance operations. This is likely to favour centres such as Nelson, home of the largest unit, Air Nelson, and with engineering services which date back to the defunct Origin Pacific.
Other centres have felt the cold wind of change. Rotorua Regional Airport will say good-bye to Qantas when its Jetstar unit takes over regional routes, even though the tourist centre is spending more than $10m on extensions to woo more trans-Tasman custom. Hamilton’s airport still bears the ‘international’ tag despite Air NZ halting overseas flights from the city last month. Another ‘international” gateway, Palmerston North’s airport, suspended all capital expenditure after losing overseas flights and posting a 65% slump in first-half profit._
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