Despite having fewer passengers, the higher revenue was “achieved through higher passenger spend rate and landing charges”, the report stated.
About 612,000 passengers went through the airport between July 2024 and June 2025.
That was down 7% on the previous year (which had 655,000 passengers) and down about 8% on the airport’s own projections.
The airport’s best year for passenger numbers was 2018/19 – the last full year before Covid hit – when 750,000 passengers used the airport. Jetstar still had flights to Napier at that stage.
Nick Flack, who started as CEO in February, said $3.3m net profit after tax was a $400,000 improvement on the airport’s target.
“Alongside pleasing financial performance, we made excellent progress in our capital works programme, with significant steps taken to future-proof our operations as well as enhance reliability and safety,” Flack said.
Core infrastructure improvements, including carparking, airfield lighting, a new fire station and a fire truck, were translating into higher revenues, he said.
“There remains a further requirement to continue this investment into the future.
“Additionally, we’ve invested significantly in our people and systems, setting ourselves up to support a high-performing team in the years ahead.”
Hawke’s Bay Airport chairman Jon Nichols said a combination of “economic recession and domestic aviation capacity challenges” had contributed to the lower-than-anticipated passenger numbers.
The airport’s previous high point was its $2.8m net profit after tax in the 2022/23 year.
About 36% of passengers who used Hawke’s Bay Airport during 2024/25 were local, and 64% were visitors to the region.
Roughly a third of passengers were visiting friends or family, just under a third were on business, 26% leisure, and 8% “other”.
Hawke’s Bay Airport Limited is owned by three shareholders – Napier City Council (26%), Hastings District Council (24%) and the Crown (50%).
Mana Ahuriri Trust has been in negotiations to buy the Crown’s 50% share.
Hawke’s Bay Airport was opened in 1964 and celebrated 60 years last year.
Other highlights from the past year included the airport buying a new fire truck called Judy Drench, completing airfield power and lighting upgrades, and starting construction on a new fire station.
Hawke’s Bay Airport Ltd’s bottom line:
2024/25: $3.3m net profit after tax
2023/24: $850,000 net loss after tax
2022/23: $2.8m net profit after tax
2021/22: $800,000 net profit after tax
2020/21: $550,000 net profit after tax
