Northland airports an 'endangered species'

Airports in Whangarei, Kerikeri and Kaitaia (pictured) are an endangered species, according to the NZ Airports Association. Photo / Supplied

Northland's three airports are an "endangered species" facing a funding crisis caused mainly by years of government neglect, the body representing New Zealand airports says.

NZ Airports is lobbying the Government to stump up $32 million over the next five years, which it says is needed to keep the country's regional airports open without small-town ratepayers having to prop them up. The 12 airports the association says are most at risk include Whangarei, Kerikeri and Kaitaia.

Transport Minister Simon Bridges said he was ready to listen to concerns about regional airports but he rejected the "doomsday scenario" about their future.

NZ Airports launched its campaign for sustainable small airports at Parliament earlier this week.

Chief executive Kevin Ward said many small airports couldn't make significant infrastructure investments without support from their owners, which were usually local councils.

"A lot of councils have said we can't do without airports so they've gone about subsidising them but that's not fair on ratepayers in small towns and regions."

Mr Ward said regional airports should be regarded as part of national transport network, like state highways, and funded by central government rather than local councils.

"When you fly from Kaitaia or Whangarei you're not undertaking a local journey, you're flying to a big city. There shouldn't be a call on ratepayers."

NZ Airports had calculated $32m would cover upgrades and maintenance for the next five years. The Government made more money from the sector than NZ Airports was asking for - as part-owner of Christchurch airport the Government received a dividend of about $8m a year - so it wouldn't be a call on taxpayers.

"We don't want to dump it on taxpayers any more than we want it dumped on ratepayers."

Mr Ward expected to meet Mr Bridges in coming days and would also talk to other parties.

Mr Bridges said the Government understood the economic and social importance of regional airports and already supported some of them, particularly the ones it part-owned.

"We're open to working with the Airports Association on these matters but we don't accept the doomsday scenario for some of the regional airports as accurate . . . Some are going from strength to strength."

Whangarei, for example, was on NZ Airports' "crisis list" but the Government, which was a part-owner, had helped pay for a recent expansion, it was making a profit and had a bright future, he said.

Also, small airlines were increasingly serving the regions and doing so on a commercial basis, despite critics' predictions they would fail.

Acting Far North Mayor Tania McInnes said the problem was bigger than just airports. With the third largest district in the North Island but a small population, ratepayer affordability of all infrastructure was an issue, especially for the Far North's 2500km road network.

Mr Ward said NZ Airports had started the campaign because the Government was working on updates to the Civil Aviation and Airport Authorities acts. The latter included a requirement that airports operate on a commercial basis, which would exclude many small airports.

■ Whangarei Airport is owned 50-50 by the Whangarei District Council and the Government. Kerikeri Airport is owned and operated by council-owned Far North Holdings, which recently upgraded the runway and apron and plans a new terminal next year. Kaitaia Airport is operated by Far North Holdings on Crown-owned land which has been returned to iwi in a Treaty settlement. Air New Zealand pulled out of Kaitaia in 2015 with Barrier Air now providing flights to Auckland.