More car parking planned for airport

Hawke's Bay Airport.

Plans are under way for more car parking space at the Hawke's Bay Airport terminal due to rising passenger demand.

New space has opened up where the old rental car valet once stood and the airport is undertaking a customer engagement survey on car parking needs.

An existing hangar has been moved onto the Hawke's Bay Airport Business Park and turned into a new rental car valet facility, doubling space and capacity.

The airport's aeronautical and infrastructure manager, Olivia Pierre, said the project was a great example of upgrading and adding value to a surplus hangar.

She said it was a vast improvement on the old facilities, with the two largest rental car companies working from the facilities and a third rental car company storing their rental cars in the complex.

The larger companies were able to service up to 80 cars a day.

The complex offers three office spaces, two wash and dry bays, two storage and working spaces, one bay for a large vehicle, a kitchenette and restroom along with 196 sealed car parks.

The old car valet facility, which had 73 car parks, two wash bays and two dry bays has been demolished to create space for additional car parks to support the growth in passengers using the terminal.

Earlier this week Airport Company chief executive Nick Story said passenger numbers in the first month following Jetstar's introduction of services to and from Auckland were 14.3 per cent up on December 2014, and set a new record for the month.

It also contributed to Hawke's Bay Airport passenger numbers being up 13.5 per cent for the first six months of the financial year and numbers for the year will "comfortably" exceed 500,000 for the first time.

Chance to win:

* To complete the survey see hawkesbay-airport.co.nz.

* All completed surveys will go in the draw to win a $250 prepaid parking card.