Rotorua's mayor is seeking Government support to prevent the loss of air traffic control services from the district's airport, saying it would significantly impact the region's economic recovery.
Airways Corporation of New Zealand (Airways) is proposing to withdraw air traffic control services at seven regional airports, including Rotorua Airport.
'Our airport is crucial to our economic recovery and that will now be in jeopardy if this goes ahead. We are fighting hard to prevent that from happening,” Mayor Steve Chadwick says.
'Our economy is already on life support and if this goes ahead it will have a direct and significant impact on local tourism businesses that will further undermine confidence at a critical time.
'Recovery across New Zealand will require us all working together. This move by Airways is premature and will hamper Rotorua's recovery by removing air connectivity,” Steve says.
'We have a huge job ahead of us to position Rotorua for an effective economic recovery and our airport has a crucial role in that. However, it can only do that if it can continue to operate as a safe, effective airport – that requires air traffic control."
Rotorua Airport has experienced significant growth during recent years and while all regular flights are currently suspended, it is expected to play a critical role in Rotorua's post-Covid-19 economic recovery, the mayor says.
'Airways says there would be minimal impact to Rotorua Airport but our own analysis, and that of aviation experts and representatives from key industry bodies, indicates otherwise and concludes it would be significant. It would create unacceptable safety and operation risks and won't be easy to reverse.
"Re-starting our currently devastated tourism industry and in doing so boost other related sectors like accommodation and hospitality, is part of our Build Back Better economic recovery strategy and aligns with national efforts related to tourism,” Steve says.
Along with general passenger flights, Rotorua's airspace also accommodates three aerodromes (Rotorua Airport, Rotorua Lakefront, Rotorua Hospital) within 5 nautical miles of each other and about 40 heliports and airstrips within, or on the edge of, the controlled airspace.
'We think the Airways proposed withdrawal from our airport and others is premature. The government has only just started working with regions to work on plans for re-starting tourism, alongside a longer-term national re-think of tourism in New Zealand. Rotorua and Queenstown are seen as central to that."
The mayor has been lobbying Government ministers since Airways announced earlier this month that it was considering withdrawing air traffic services at seven regional aerodromes, she has written to the Prime Minister outlining the implications of the Airways proposal for Rotorua if it goes ahead and is urging local MPs to support calls for the retention of air traffic control services in Rotorua.