Much is being made of the need to extend the runway at Hawke’s Bay Airport – yet I remain unconvinced that the project is worthwhile.
I do know there is some absolute rubbish being spouted in support of the project.
There is no way that any airline is going to schedule international flights out of Napier – and if they wanted to we would need to spend as much again as the runway cost on security, – a police station – customs facilities – immigration facilities etc etc.
Look around the country and see what has happened. Invercargill extended their runway in the hope of attracting international flights into Southland – they have never had one. Hamilton extended their runway in the belief they could attract three flights a day. They have never attracted more than 3 a week and some of those have just been cancelled. Palmerston North, which services a far larger area than the airport at Napier does, has just lost its international provider.
My real worry is that we will lose frequency of flights. At the moment we can jump on a plane at all sorts of times during the day and be in Wellington or Auckland in about 50 minutes. From there we can go anywhere in the World.
What is wrong with that?
Efficient airline schedules are based around hubs. In the States you have places like Denver and Charlotte that are enormous hubs. Auckland and to a lesser extent, Wellington and Christchurch are New Zealand hubs.
I don’t have a closed mind on the subject of extending Hawkes Bay Airport runway and as a Napier City Councillor I am intrigued that no one has ever asked my opinion or tried to convince me, that the project is worthwhile.
I just make the point that at this stage, I am yet to be convinced that it makes economic sense to extend the runway when all we can hope for is perhaps the odd charter flight and maybe the odd freight plane.
I just wonder if there is not a better way of spending such a large amount of public money.
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October 22nd, 2008 at 3:54 am
I am seaching for some idea to write in my blog… somehow come to your blog. best of luck. Eugene
January 22nd, 2009 at 8:58 pm
whole heartedly agree with your comments we dont need to compramise our current availability of flights in & out of this lovely part of the country, the cost of an international airport will not benefit the tax payer at all.
Our district council have made a big enough cock up over fire place heating how many more people do we have to pay for sleeping at meetings.