Infratil sees big future in ex-Nazi airbase

By CHRIS DANIELS

Infratil has given more details of its latest airport venture in Europe as it evaluates the potential of an ex-Nazi airbase near Berlin as a regional airport.

Last September, Infratil entered into a 10-year option to buy 100 per cent of an airport operating company, including a 235ha site at Finow, Germany.

Only small planes can use the airfield, which at the moment is controlled privately by local business interests.

Since early 2001, Infratil has been working at building relationships with local mayors and councils.

Its approach is similar to that seen in its mission to turn Whenuapai airfield at Auckland into a commercial airport specialising in low-cost, short-haul airlines.

Infratil thinks Germany is an attractive market with a lot of untapped potential for cut-price airlines such as Ryanair.

Low-cost carriers have less than 3 per cent of the market in Germany, compared with 25 per cent or more in Britain.

The Finow site is 55km northeast of central Berlin and 1.7 million people live within an hour of it. It was built in 1938 and used as a Soviet airbase after World War II.

Infratil says Ryanair has confirmed an interest in moving to a Finow airport. It hopes that permission will be given for big aircraft to use it in time for the soccer World Cup in mid-2006.

About €25 million ($47 million) would need to be spent on the airport, building a terminal, freight handling facilities, carparks and roads.

Infratil has just reported continued huge growth in passenger numbers at its now wholly-owned Glasgow Prestwick Airport.

Expansion by Ryanair has been behind the surge, with a 43 per cent jump in passenger numbers last month.