Decline in domestic flights revealed

Press, 27 May 1981, Page 6

Decline in domestic flights revealed

Christchurch Airport had a 2.47 per. cent rise in international passengers during the last year, .but there was a slight drop in domestic passengers with Air New. Zealand. ■ Other New Zealand airports had registered an 8 per cent decrease - in. domestic passengers, the airport director, Mr M. W. Atkinson, told the Christchurch City Council's public utilities committee yesterday. Mount Cook Airlines had a 12.12 per cent drop in domestic passengers through the airport, while Air New Zealand slipped by only 0.11 per cent. • International freight was down (.83 per cent), and mail was up (28.3 per cent). Domestic freight and. mail were down 5.98 per cent.

Domestic aircraft movements were down 5.94 per cent, from 22,176 to 20,859. International aircraft movements were up 9.31 per cent, from 1428 to 1561. Military aircraft movements were down 13.4 per cent. The committee, agreed with a staff suggestion that the airport’s.- landing charge. for . domestic itinerant light aircraft should be dropped. . But the charge for domestic itinerant aircraft with a maximum registered weight of more than 15,000 kg would rise from $5 to Sift. Councillors also said that aircraft parking . charges should be increased. Terminal service charges would also increase under separate proposals. Such charges would be scaled to

the passenger capacity of commercial aircraft. They Would- be made for such things as refuse collection arid incineration, use of the baggage conveyer, utilities,’ and common user facilities at the airport.

They would be made for all arriving international passenger aircraft. At. present, scheduled domestic and international aircraft .do not pay a full terminal service fee. Until recently, most services were considered adequately covered through airport dues levied under Civil Aviation regulations. The recent fight with the Government over a reallocation of such dues has changed the situation. The council’s case for a return to the old system' will be put to the Government on June 5.