Save Kāpiti Airport Group determined to keep airport operational

Kapiti Coast Airport. Photo / David Haxton

Save Kāpiti Airport (SKA) are united in their determination to keep the airport operational.

The group was formed by National Party candidate and former-air force pilot Tim Costley and has representatives from Air Chathams, Sounds Air, Kāpiti Aero Club, private aircraft operators, businesses based at the airport, and the Kāpiti Coast Chamber of Commerce.

KCDC and Airways have been included in discussions. The group have met with airport owners NZPropCo Ltd this week.

NZ Prop Co says it is considering "all options" and SKA are concerned this could mean an end to all flying operations as early as the evening of September 10.

This date coincides with a proposed date to end the Airways NZ "AFIS" service at the airfield. Work is currently being done to extend the date AFIS is withdrawn to buy more time for discussions around the future of the airport.

Mr Costley does not believe discussion around safety concerns stemming from the withdrawal of the AFIS have been accurate or fair.

"It is our position, and we understand that of Airways NZ, that flying could be safely conducted without an AFIS at the airfield, as happens in Whanganui, Taupo, and many other airfields that have commercial flights and no AFIS.

"Suggestions that AFIS was needed after a fatal accident in 2008 have been mis-leading. The report into the mid-air collision at Paraparaumu clearly states 'the absence of an air traffic control or information service [AFIS] on the aerodrome was not considered a significant factor'."

SKA understands the commercial interests of NZ Prop Co but they purchased the airfield after completing their own due diligence. Pointing to the 2018 withdrawal by Air New Zealand is highly misleading, given NZPropCo did not buy the airfield until the end of 2019, well after Air NZ had left.

There have been no significant changes to the commercial viability of the airfield in the time they have owned it and Air Chathams has noted their Paraparaumu route has recovered after the Covid-19 level 4 restrictions quicker than other route they service.

Similarly, the Kapiti Aero Club recorded its highest number of monthly flying hours in July 2020.

"Our group is open to genuine discussion about the future of land surrounding the airport, but will not compromise on its goal of keeping the airport operational.

"We are calling on Mayor Guru and KCDC to come out and support the strategic importance of the airport to this region, and it's continued operation," Mr Costley said.

A public meeting has been called on Saturday, August 29, at 2pm at St Paul's Church on Kāpiti Rd opposite the old control tower.

This date may change if we do not return to level 1 as planned on August 26. In the meantime, a petition has been launched to capture public support for the airport. This can be found at www.savekapitiairport.co.nz.

The owners of Kāpiti Airport, the Templeton Group, said, they met last week with multiple stakeholders, in their individual capacities such as that of a National Party candidate, as Kāpiti Chamber of Commerce, as Air Chathams etc and we continue to engage with stakeholders and the wider community.

They deny the statement by the Save Kāpiti Airport that all flying operations could end as early as September 10. "This is not the case; the airport remains open and fully operational."

"We have stated publicly that we are looking at all options for the future of Kāpiti Coast Airport. No decision has been made and it's unhelpful that a National party candidate is using a privately owned business as an electioneering tool and to fearmonger in the community about a closure next month. His inaccurate commentary is providing further uncertainty for airlines that fly to and from Kāpiti Coast Airport as well as for the airport itself.

"Kāpiti Coast Airport is in ongoing negotiations with Airways regarding the aerodrome flight information service (AFIS) that it provides as Kāpiti Coast Airport.

Further, Mr Costley's comments that "flying could be safely conducted without an AFIS at the airfield, as happens in Whanganui, Taupo and many other airfields that have commercial flights and no AFIS" do not factor in that Kāpiti Coast Airport is a privately owned and operated airport. Nor do they demonstrate an understanding of the stringent requirements placed on the owners to provide for safe operations at Kāpiti Coast Airport.

Under the CAA rules that the airport must abide by, it is a legal requirement for Kāpiti Coast Airport to ensure that AFIS services is provided by us for the hours specified by its aerodrome certificate.

The Kāpiti Coast community can be assured safety is at the forefront of everything we do. Kapiti Coast Airport follows appropriate regulatory processes that ensure all safety matters are properly considered including with inputs from relevant stakeholders such as its airline customers.

"Mr Costley is welcome to meet with Airport management to better understand what we do every day to ensure safety of operations at the Airport and what we are doing to carefully consider the possible changes to the airport's safety environment should Airways no longer be in position to provide the aerodrome flight information service that we currently contract them to provide.

"Mr Costley's comments that "there have been no significant changes to the commercial viability of the airfield in the time they have owned it and Air Chathams has noted their Paraparaumu route has recovered after the Covid-19 level 4 restrictions quicker than other route they service" are also misleading.

"The airport has faced significant economic viability issues for some time, and these have been further exacerbated by the impacts of Covid-19.

"Air Chathams was contracted in August 2018 to deliver 18 scheduled landings from Auckland into Kāpiti per week. By January 2019 that was reduced to 13 scheduled landings and post-Covid that has now reduced to 8 scheduled landings per week.

"The airport is only paid for landings, at a fee of $102 per landing. Our observation is that there doesn't appear to be the apparent demand to enable Air Chathams to put on extra flights despite a $190,000 subsidy from Kāpiti Coast District Council. The airport receives no subsidies of any form from either local or central Government.

"National Government (under the Rt Hon Jim Bolger's leadership) sold Paraparaumu Airport (as it was then known) to private interests in 1995, because it decided that it was not commercially viable in Crown ownership.

"Paraparaumu Airport was not considered to be a strategic asset that should remain in public ownership. Kāpiti Coast Airport is not listed as a lifeline utility under the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002 - Wellington and Palmerston North airports are."