Larger aircraft starting to operate from Whangarei Airport next month should reduce the risk of passengers being dumped off flights in wet weather.
Air New Zealand announced yesterday it will start using larger, 50-seat Bombardier Q300 aircraft for some flights to and from Whangarei Airport from August 12, a move it hopes will overcome issues caused by new operating requirements at the airport.
The new Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) flight restriction that came into effect on June 1 sees passengers kicked off in-bound flights in wet weather so planes can land on the runway.
CAA says Eagle Air's Beech 1900 aircraft have to approach the airport runway at a height of 50 feet, up from the 35 feet restriction that had been used at the airport for many years. Beech aircraft now have to land further down the runway, so when it's wet, or there's no headwind, the planes need a lighter landing weight to make sure they can stop in time. CAA says the action has been taken as an interim measure while an updated risk assessment is undertaken at Whangarei Airport and says it's not a safety issue.
But the restriction has raised the ire of passengers dumped from flights, Whangarei District Council and Whangarei MP Phil Heatley among others.
