Mr Prebble forecasts big airport changes

Press, 27 May 1985, Page 9

Mr Prebble forecasts big airport changes

PA Wellington The rigid, centralised system of airport charges must be scrapped, said the Minister of Civil Aviation, Mr Prebble, at the weekend. He forecast that putting airports on a business-like footing could result in approval being given for a new domestic air terminal in Wellington. New Zealand had no procedure for landing dues to be adjusted. The more economical airports could not reduce their charges and accumulated embarrassing surpluses, said Mr

Prebble at the A.W.A. flying scholarships presentation in Wellington on Saturday. Wellington had New Zealand’s busiest domestic airport, yet because of siting itwas expensive to maintain and run. While Wellington airport struggled to break even, other airports gathered large profits and huge funds. Auckland Airport now had more than $6O million in its reserve fund, Mr Prebble said. The Wellington Airport Authority had been unable to replace its terminal. If Wellington's newdomestic airport was to go

ahead, it could do so only if there were some basic reforms. One problem was that decision-making for airports was totally bureaucratic and cumbersome, he said. Any significant expenditure had to be approved by the Minister of Civil Aviation and airports could not raise loans and service the debt from revenue. Mr Prebble said that next month the Government would put specific proposals to airport authorities which, if agreed to, would mean approval soon for a newdomestic terminal at Wellington.