Hawke's Bay Airport on growth path

Friday 3rd July 2009

The Hawke’s Bay region will have an airport capable of handling jet aircraft in time for the 2011 World Cup with tenders going out for the runway extension.

Now the gateway will be on a more solid footing with its transformation this week into a corporate entity. The government now owns 50% of the new airport company, with 26% held by Napier City and 24% by Hastings District Council.

Transport Minister Steven Joyce said the limited liability company has been taken off the leash, with greater commercial freedom to raise funds and make investment decisions.

The first prospective new customer would be Pacific Blue if the airport manages to woo the rival to Air New Zealand.

Proponents of a bigger airport in the Hawke’s Bay, a key winegrowing region with increasing tourism overlap, eventually want to lure trans-Tasman flights, joining regional hopefuls such as Rotorua, Hamilton and Palmerston North, which already have jet plane capacity.

Businesswire.co.nz

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