Airport wants to lure new national carrier

Hawke's Bay Airport's new business development manager, Wayne Wootton, has given himself three years to bring another national carrier to Hawke's Bay, breaking Air New Zealand's monopoly.

"I want to strengthen relations with Air New Zealand and then look at bringing in another carrier - the likes of Jetstar," he said.

"I've actually started dialogue with Jetstar but there is nothing concrete yet - it's in its infancy - but I think it is possible. It may encourage Air New Zealand to be more competitive."

The airport can accommodate jets after the recent runway extension, but Air New Zealand has no immediate plans to bring them to Hawke's Bay. But it had started bringing in larger aircraft, Mr Wootton said.

Usually only the Bombardier Q300, operated by Air Nelson, visited Hawke's Bay but the ATR 72, operated by Mt Cook Airlines, took some of the more popular flights. Both airlines are subsidiaries of Air New Zealand.

"I'm in conversation with both to see if they are interested in running a maintenance facility here."

Another expansion plan for the airport, half owned by the Government and half by Napier City Council and Hastings District Council, is a 20ha business park, with the first section of the access road to be built before June 2012.

Stage one will provide 4ha of commercial development, with 16ha more planned together with a new access from Watchman Rd.

He said the airport is not selling the land.

"We are looking at several options including leasing land, leasing buildings, design and build or design, build and operate."

The airport has some reserve funds to kickstart the development, he said.

"We have not built much for a long time, apart from the runway extension."

The rental car companies had agreed to shift to the business park once the first section of new road was complete, between the airport carpark and the highway.

"This will free up space in the terminal for other clients," he said.

Mr Wootton said he is the airport company's first fulltime employee - the general manager works part-time.