$14M airport to seek backing

Press, 1 February 1988, Page 6

$14M airport to seek backing

By

LES BLOXHAM,

travel editor

Airlines using Queenstown’s airport at Frankton are likely to be asked to provide substantial backing for the region’s $l4 million dream — an international airport at the base of the Remarkables.

The restricted length of the existing runway and objections from residents about jet noise prompted the local authority to look for a new site on land about 10km further south on the main highway to Invercargill. The Mayor of Queenstown, Mr John Davies, confirmed yesterday that the council was proceeding with the scheme and was preparing to form a company. A comprehensive technical study prepared by a New York-based firm of aviation consultants had pinpointed the location of the runway and the angle

of the approach paths, he said. The report also covered a number of other technical matters and there appeared to be no major problems, he said. Asked if Air New Zealand might become a big shareholder in the company, Mr Davies said: “There is no question about it; we will be looking for their involvement in the financial structuring. “We will in fact be looking for contributions from all the airlines because, obviously, we are not going to get any help from the Government,”

said Mr Davies. “We accept that we are going to have to put the package together ourselves.” Now that the site of the runway had been chosen, negotiations could begin with the owner over the sale of the land, he said. Mr Davies said the cost of the airport had climbed since the project was first mooted, but he estimated it could still be completed, with navigational aids, for about $l4 million. Mr Davies hopes that tenders will be called later in the year and that the. airport will be completed within two years of a tender’s being accepted.

The 2200 metre runway would be capable of handling Boeing 767 s on direct flights across the Tasman. However, Mr Davies emphasised that the initial aim was to get a new domestic jet service for Queenstown. “Flights from Auckland (via Christchurch) take too long to get here and the fares are too high because of the type of aircraft being used,” he said. Mr Davies said the old airport at Frankton would be closed to all aircraft when the new airport was opened.