Tourism hope fuels airport optimism

Rotorua airport officials are confident their push to become a transtasman facility will not be affected by Hamilton International Airport's planned $51 million expansion.

Improvements at Hamilton will include a runway extension, more apron parking for bigger planes and more car parking, costing $21 million. Another $30 million will be spent creating an industrial and retail centre with a joint venture company on 130ha of adjacent land.

The runway extension would allow unrestricted flights from Hamilton to South Pacific destinations and Australia's east coast.

Hamilton Airport chief executive Hugh McCarroll denied reports that the airport was eyeing long-haul airlines from as far away as Asia.

Rotorua Airport chairman Neil Oppatt said it did not matter who, or what, was flying in and out of Hamilton.

Airlines had said they wanted to fly direct to tourist destinations, and Rotorua and Queenstown were in that category. "Aviation is going in a new direction," he said.

"The travelling visitor wishes to go from point to point. People want to fly directly to Rotorua for three to five days for a long weekend."

Environment Bay of Plenty chairman John Cronin said plans for a regional airport within the next 15 years were progressing.

Consultants would report in about three months on what they thought would be the best site for the airport.

Mr Cronin said Hamilton's plans had nothing to do with the Bay of Plenty's regional airport.

"We will acquire the land and maintain whatever is on it for the next 15 years, whether it be an orchid or a dairy farm," he said. "Then we have always got a designated spot in case Tauranga and Rotorua outgrow their airports."

- NZPA