Auckland Seaplanes going green with carbon zero award

A DeHavilland Beaver flown by Auckland Seaplanes. Photo / John King

Auckland Seaplanes is New Zealand's first air operator to become a carboNZero certified organisation.

The scenic flights business has been operating for three and a half years and its chief executive Chris Sattler said that with this country promoting itself as green and 100% Pure ''it was the right thing to do."

There was increased interest from tourists from some countries in green businesses, especially tourists from Europe.

Enviro-Mark Solutions has awarded the certification for the business which operates an eight-seater 1961 de Havilland Beaver seaplane and a seven- seater 1965 amphibious Beaver.

Sattler said he knew of only one other aviation business around the world that had achieved the certification, a seaplane operation in Canada.

Auckland Seaplanes had to account for emissions from aviation gas, its cars and other ground transport, electricity it uses and shipping of planes and equipment to comply with the award.

It is powering its downtown Auckland base with solar, buying electric vehicles and buying carbon credits from a reforestation project on the Banks Peninsula, home to many New Zealand endangered native species of birds and plants.

Other sustainability measures include installing a rainwater collection system at its base in Wynyard Quarter to use rainwater for washing aircraft, and ensuring that pests do not fly with them to protected Hauraki Gulf islands.

"Achieving carbon-neutral certification continues our commitment to protecting New Zealand's beautiful environment which we showcase to international and local guests. The changes made to our business are positive, save resources and are relatively simple to do," said Sattler.

It would cost the company about $10,000 a year, he said at the Trenz tourism industry event in Auckland.

He said other tourism businesses would follow suit and his company dealt with those who already had similar certification.

Auckland Tourism and Events and Economic Development head of tourism, Jason Hill, said Auckland Seaplanes' initiative was perfectly aligned with the growing demand from premium travellers for sustainable travel options.