A second airport, for just $25m

By CHRIS DANIELS aviation writer

Investment company Infratil says it will cost $25 million to convert the Whenuapai military airbase into a second commercial jet airport for the Auckland region.

Infratil and the Waitakere City Council have been making plans for the airbase, which the Government is in the process of selling.

The council said yesterday that the departure of the Air Force from Whenuapai would cost the local economy $235 million a year.

Infratil owns 66 per cent of Wellington Airport and 67 per cent of Glasgow's Prestwick Airport.

Company executive and Wellington Airport director Tim Brown said the need for a second airport in Auckland did not come from any failure of the Mangere airport, but future constraints on regional roads and transport infrastructure.

The council says there is a "compelling" business case for a second commercial airport in Auckland.

Brown said it was not quite that clear cut from his perspective.

"Compelling is probably the wrong word - from their perspective there's an extremely strong regional, economic case that a commercial operation at Whenuapai is the best possible thing that could happen."

Benefits came from the economic stimulation an airport would provide to the area, and the money saved from not building roads to Mangere.

"They probably have got a compelling economic case for it. In terms of the commercial case, it's much more problematic."

Mangere, Whenuapai and even Wellington had the same "catchments" of people around their airports.

"You could certainly make the case that an airport there should be able to develop quite a strong commercial operation. Realistically, an airport has only got any traction if it's got aeroplanes coming in."

Brown said Infratil had spoken to airlines interested in Whenuapai.

On one level, Infratil could lease capacity at the airport from the Air Force, then contact an airline such as Origin Pacific and organise for it to fly small planes in.

"If we were looking at a jet operation, we'd probably have to spend about $25 million.

"We wouldn't go and spend $25 million in the hope that some jet would come flying in. We'd need some level of pre-commitment from airlines so we knew once we spent our $25 million there would be people using it."

Origin Pacific chief executive Tony Marks said there had been preliminary talks with Infratil about Whenuapai. "I guess we're very interested in anyone who has the foresight to look at a site that's certainly easier to get to for anyone living north of the bridge.

"Low-cost carriers have made something of an artform of flying between alternative airports. If the opportunity were to exist in New Zealand, a carrier like ourselves would have to look at it."

Bryan Mogridge, head of Waitakere City's Mayoral Task Force on Whenuapai, said developing the airbase would pose no financial risk to the city's ratepayers.

Airlines, which he would not name, were already "keen to start" flying into the airfield. Mogridge said the area would also attract "quality medium- to high-density housing".

It would provide an airport easier to get to for people in West Auckland and on the North Shore, and help road congestion in Auckland.