Hamilton to Australia flights the start of ‘huge opportunity’ for regional airport

International flights return to Hamilton Airport next month. Photo / Danielle Zollickhofer

International flights will return to Hamilton Airport after a 13-year hiatus. Danielle Zollickhofer checks out the upgraded terminal before travellers start checking in.

It’s almost time for Hamilton Airport’s first international boarding call since 2012 - and the airport is more than ready.

An empty duty-free space, a bit of sawdust, and no queues in front of the customs or security check are the only hints that there are still a couple of weeks to go until the airport’s new chapter starts.

Waikato Regional Airport chief executive Mark Morgan said the team was excited to see the Jetstar flights from Hamilton to Sydney lift off on June 16.

Flights to and from the Gold Coast will start on June 18.

“This is the beginning of a huge opportunity,” Morgan said.

While the airport team was “very much focused” on establishing the new Jetstar flights, Morgan said there was potential for further expansions.

“We look to expand international services and start domestic jet flights in the future, but like any business decision this needs a measured approach.

“Hamilton seems very appropriate for expanded transtasman and Pacific Island services, but we are currently not in active conversations - you [have to] walk before you run.”

Morgan said “well into the future” a strong commercial business case and an investment in infrastructure would allow Hamilton Airport to consider the potential to accommodate flights to Asia.

Waikato Regional Airport Ltd chief executive Mark Morgan, board chair Barry Harris and the Hamilton Airport team after last year's announcement that direct flights between Hamilton and Australia will resume. Photo / Stephen Barker

However, it wasn’t the airport that decided which international services would arrive and depart from Hamilton.

“It‘s the airlines. Our role is to make sure airlines know about us. We’re the enabler, not necessarily the instigator.

“Once we are established [with the Sydney, Gold Coast services], the next opportunity will probably be domestic jet services.”

Preparations for going international

Morgan said conversations with Jetstar about flights from Hamilton to Sydney and the Gold Coast started about 15 months ago.

Last September, the parties were ready for an announcement.

The new security check and customs area at Hamilton Airport. Photo / Danielle Zollickhofer

A lot of work had gone into preparing the airport for international flights again, Morgan said.

“We had to have conversations with key border agencies, like MPI, customs et cetera to see if they would establish a border here.

“It was around a $7 million investment.”

No extension of the runway or airport building was required, with Morgan saying the airport always had the space, it had just been used in other ways, including for offices.

In 2022, the existing terminal received a $15 million upgrade, including structural strengthening.

For the international flights, the team had to set up a new terminal, with security check, duty-free store, café, baggage claim and a departure lounge to accommodate 230 passengers.

Waikato Regional Airport chief executive Mark Morgan at the new international security check and customs area. Photo / Danielle Zollickhofer

There is also the option to separate a part of the lounge for domestic jet aircraft flights.

Morgan said the biggest challenge, but also the most important component had been establishing an international border in Hamilton.

“The operational set up was a challenge, there will be 40-50 border staff here that needed to be employed and trained.

“Our location close to Auckland Airport and the Port of Tauranga was an advantage for this.

“It’s important for us to be a safe first point of entry - efficient and protected.”

HLZ International flight history

The last airline to fly internationally from Hamilton was Virgin Australia, which announced in August 2012, it would pull the plug on its service due to deteriorating demand and the service losing the company money.

Hamilton Airport is owned by five Waikato councils. Photo / Hamilton and Waikato Tourism

The final Virgin Australia flight flew from Hamilton to Brisbane on October 27, 2012, ending 18 years of transtasman flights.

Morgan said Hamilton Airport always remained open to be an international airport again, but it hadn’t been a priority for airlines until the end of 2023.

When asked if he was concerned about repeating history, Morgan said a lot had changed in the past 13 years.

“It is a use it or lose it deal. If our local catchment doesn’t use this service, the airlines can redeploy services.

“But the airport company has a robust balance sheet and Hamilton is the fastest-growing city in New Zealand.

“Our catchment now is not only Waikato, but Rotorua, Taupō, Bay of Plenty and Coromandel and I would go as far as saying New Plymouth.

“[Jetstar] wouldn’t be doing it if we couldn’t back it up.

“What happened last time is always in the back of people’s minds but we are feeling confident.”

When the flights were announced last year, Jetstar Group chief executive Stephanie Tully said the airline was in a period of “unparalleled growth” in New Zealand.

“As the country’s only low-cost airline, Jetstar provides critical competition in New Zealand and helps keep travel affordable for Kiwis.”

Flight details

The first service from and to Sydney will take place on June 16. Going forward, this will operate four days a week on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.

The first service from and to the Gold Coast will take place on June 18. Going forward, this will operate three days a week on Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday.

The aircraft used will be a 188-seater A320 Neo.

Jetstar, a subsidiary of Qantas, will become the fourth airline using Hamilton Airport. Other carriers include Air New Zealand, Sunair and Originair.

Morgan said the services would bring benefits to the Waikato, including a $45m economic boost per year, 60 new airport-based jobs and 100,000 more passengers per year using Hamilton Airport, on top of 360,000 passengers already handled.

Australian visitors currently account for 19% of international visitor spend in the Waikato.

• This story has been updated to clarify the investment made to welcome international flights to Hamilton.

Danielle Zollickhofer is the Waikato news director and a multimedia journalist. She joined NZME in 2021 and is based in Hamilton.