OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE NEW ZEALAND AIRPORTS ASSOCIATION March 2020 COVID-19 ISSUES AND SECTOR RELIEF, COPING WITH AIRPORT EMERGENCIES AND NEW TERMINAL FOR TARANAKI Also in this edition ... COVID-19 issues for the airport sector....................................... p2 Flying blind – why New Zealand needs better aviation data .................. p3 Aviation relief package good first step .............................................. p4 Government steps in to protect Air New Zealand ................................. p5 Arrivals and departures ...................... p6 Co-designed new terminal wows Taranaki travellers .............................. p8 First stage of major Palmerston North Airport business park development .. p10 Airports investment within NZ Upgrade Programme ...................p11 Leading, sharing and mutual inspiration – Richard Roberts............................. p12 Airport champion Allan MacGibbon honoured with UCOL award ............. p14 Preparing for a “new” New Zealand.. p16 Show courage to reshape leadership habits – Denise Church .................... p17 Involving disabled community benefits airport design .................................... p19 Pioneering drone inspections delivered successfully....................... p21 New Plymouth Airport’s brand new $28.7 million terminal (article p8) Technology/connections to revolutionise airport model..................................... p23 Coping with airport emergencies – expect the unexpected ..................... p25 Roading projects streamline airport-customer interface................. p28 Airports wildlife issues being collaboratively addressed ................. p29 Runway sensors system proven at Wellington Airport ............................. p31 Automation key to improving airport systems ................................. p33 DC3 Kapiti flights prove a hit ............ p34 Level 8, Midland Chambers, 45 Johnston Street, Wellington | PO Box 11369, Manners Street, Wellington 6142 | +64 4 384 3217 | nzairports.co.nz COVID-19 issues for the airport sector NZ Airports chief executive Kevin Ward As this issue of the NZ Airports magazine was being finalised for publication, the full impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the aviation sector was just becoming apparent. Aviation remains the only national rapid and passenger demand, or to meet transport network for domestic travel, regulatory requirements. It will be in the enabler of international travel and The first tranche of the the national interest to enable demand tourism, and the freight mode for high to bounce back as quickly as possible value and time-sensitive cargoes. Government’s relief when travel and health restrictions Airports are also lifeline utilities and are lifted, and the airport capacity provide community resilience. package for the aviation will be needed. Steps to ensure business continuity (at sector was being Ability to maintain a reduced level), and maintain national and international air connections unveiled at the time Airways is the contracted supplier of for reduced demand are the urgent visual navigation aids (various required priorities as we face the challenges of publication. lighting systems) that are essential of the COVID-19 pandemic, with to ongoing operations and safety readiness to re-bound the next goal. compliance at many airports. Airways’ ability to maintain these services, The numbers of international Given the drop in domestic and and continue with programmed passengers and flights are plummeting business air travel, this will become replacement and upgrades is critical and domestic volumes are also an issue across the airport network to airport operational continuity dropping significantly. As I write – international, regional and small and safety. this airports are welcoming the airports. The connectivity and national Government’s special support package reach of the system may be put at risk. for aviation and for businesses. But Kevin Ward what are the issues going forward? Air links between provincial centres and major centres will be essential Where to now? to enable patient transfers to larger Most air cargo travels in the hold of hospitals with specialised equipment. passenger aircraft. Exporters and Patient transfer flights are an essential importers dependent on air freight will and growing role of regional airports. also be dependent on Government support for aviation. Specific issues Flights and passenger numbers will Aviation is an ecosystem with many drop to very low levels, and so will inter-related players. Airlines, airports, airport cash flow, but infrastructure, general aviation and air navigation safety and operations costs continue. all have essential roles. Each has a network of suppliers and industry Many airports have a high dependency partners supporting their operations. on passenger and airline-related Support measures must be fairly revenue. The drop in flights and spread over the system. passenger numbers, and thus Airports have their own challenges. cash flow, will be severe. Many As public transport infrastructure they infrastructure, safety and operational have an obligation to remain open and costs continue, regardless of levels maintain safety, almost regardless of airport activity. of the level of operations within the facility. This raises different challenges Capital works at risk for different airports, depending on Airport capital works are usually their ownership and funding structures. significant projects to meet airline 2 NZ Airports Magazine | March 2020 Airports typically have a small staffing Plan the recovery Industry parties will need to work base, but a wide range of safety and jointly on the readiness to rebound and operational responsibilities. Like other All these issues point to the need Government support will be required. business sectors, we need measures for an industry-wide strategy to There is a long journey ahead of us. to ensure core staff are not lost when recover quickly. business turns down. See our feature on emergency We will need to assist the return of air This issue is not restricted to airports. responses at airports on page 25. connectivity, especially international Skills and personnel need to be Airports are sharing the learnings of retained across the aviation ecosystem capacity for the visitor economy and recent events and showing they have to ensure all players are ready for tourism sector with the associated plenty of experience to draw upon for lift-off when restrictions are removed. economic and social benefits. the COVID-19 challenges ahead. Flying blind – why New Zealand needs better aviation data NZ Airports chief executive Kevin Ward New Zealand is flying blind when it comes to good data and reporting on aviation – and the airport sector is suffering the consequences with some poorly informed public policy development now on our advocacy agenda as an association. In New Zealand, there is no official Ministry of Transport with power to policy goals such as regional collection or publication of what is collect and publish data regarding dispersal of travellers by air happening in terms of passenger air services. 2. regular aviation information numbers and flights to specific This would serve three key purposes: publications from an official towns and cities, domestic air cargo source (the Ministry of volumes, which city-to-city routes are 1. the Ministry of Transport could Transport) would provide use this information to direct growing or shrinking over time, the transparency to the travelling standards of on-time performance and policy toward achieving a public on the activity levels cancellations, or what is happening to high-functioning and well- and trends, reliability and costs average air fares. operating market. If the of air travel, which are of high information was available to This means New Zealand is public interest other government agencies, way behind in this area of public such as those in the critical 3. detailed statistical reports and transparency compared to other information would also assist tourism sector, then they would countries (see table illustration with airports and other industry be better placed to advise on this article). Shining a light on participants to better plan trends and data is often the best routes, manage capacity and way to help everyone make better provide a more effective service decisions. As they say, “sunlight is Better information would certainly have the best disinfectant”. helped competition regulators when Major improvements could and the code-share agreement between should be empowered through the Air New Zealand and the Qantas Government’s current review of Group was proposed a year ago, aviation law. potentially affecting Jetstar’s future operations in New Zealand. Three key purposes It’s difficult enough to determine what NZ Airports has recommended that is in the consumer’s interest and new provisions are included in the what isn’t when airlines propose joint Civil Aviation Bill to provide the commercial arrangements that affect Level 8, Midland Chambers, 45 Johnston Street, Wellington | PO Box 11369, Manners Street, Wellington 6142 | +64 4 384 3217 | nzairports.co.nz 3 normal competition, and doubly so Australian model activity, domestic on time performance, without good data and historic trends domestic airfares index, airfreight, at a detailed level. It’s in everyone’s Our neighbours in Australia have a airport traffic, general aviation activity, interest for those decisions to be as well-developed system and regular