Auckland control tower blind spots: Airport and airlines trade blows over who’s to blame

The ageing Airways control tower at Auckland is due for replacement. Photo / Brett Phibbs

A group representing airlines operating through Auckland says it wants answers regarding why visibility from the airport control tower is being cut.

But Auckland Airport (AIAL) has pushed back on claims the way it built its new terminal is to blame, reigniting tension over the cost of redevelopment there. Maps provided by Airways show the new multibillion-dollar terminal pier (Pier A1) impacting visibility from the current site.

“In the short term, this risk can be mitigated by adjusting ATC [air traffic control] procedures, including increased separation standards, and using technology. AIAL is designing Pier A1’s roofline to provide the maximum visibility and implementing changes such as additional controllable stop bars, intermediate hold points and CCTV cameras to improve situational awareness,” Airways has said in a consultation document.

The Board of Air Line Representatives says in a submission to Airways it can’t understand how height conflict between the structure and the integrated terminal being built by Auckland Airport (AIAL) was not foreseen.

“What appears to have happened is that the sightlines conflict was realised well after AIAL’s construction of the integrated terminal was under way,” says the board’s executive director Cath O’Brien.

But an Auckland Airport spokeswoman said this was incorrect.

“The claim that construction of the domestic jet terminal building was under way when the building had to be redesigned is wrong.”

She said the design has been revised many times during consultation with stakeholders, including airlines.

“Any issues were resolved some time ago to the satisfaction of Airways, including changing the roofline of the terminal to accommodate sightline requirements from the existing Airways tower and adding other procedural measures such as fit-for-purpose CCTV cameras.”

The view field from the air traffic control tower at Auckland Airport following building of the new terminal. The obscured area is shown in red.

At that time, Airways advised the airport it was “confident” the design and new procedural measures would support safe airfield operations and the current runway capacity.

“The Barnz submission is incorrect and deliberately conflates issues in order to undermine Auckland Airport’s investment in necessary infrastructure,” the spokeswoman said.

She said until the publication of its consultation document, no concerns had been raised by Airways about future growth being impacted by the construction of the new domestic jet terminal. Auckland Airport is talking to Airways about building a mobile contingent tower, which is a digital operation for use if there’s a crisis.

O’Brien says reduced visibility means Airways has been painted into a corner and has had to ditch options for digital towers favoured by airlines. Digital towers rely on cameras around an airfield to provide information to controllers and could be a less expensive option. In the Barnz submission, O’Brien says it is understood the planned 27m height of Pier A1 exactly matches the 27m height of the existing Auckland tower.

“Urgent replacement is now required, and earlier decisions and efforts to plan for digital tower options are being set aside – locking New Zealand into conventional ATC options. It seems likely that this decision will disincentivise progress to digital aerodrome services (DAS) for New Zealand,” she said.

“Airlines are left in the unenviable position of having no choice but to fund a conventional tower, despite that this choice conflicts with earlier consultation and decisions taken just two years earlier.”

Grant Bradley has been working at the Herald since 1993. He is the Business Herald’s deputy editor and covers aviation and tourism.