Auckland Airport
Auckland Airport (formerly Auckland International Airport, also known locally as Mangere Airport) (IATA: AKL, ICAO: NZAA) is the largest and busiest airport in New Zealand with over 13 million (estimated at 7 million international and 6 million domestic) passengers a year[citation needed]. The airport is in Mangere, a suburb of Auckland 21 kilometres (13 mi) south of the city centre. It is the central hub for Air New Zealand, a New Zealand hub of Virgin Australia and as a focus city for Jetstar Airways
Auckland Airport is one of New Zealand’s most important infrastructure assets, providing thousands of jobs for the region, and is the country’s second largest cargo 'port' by value, contributing around $14 billion to the economy, and catering for over four million visitors each year, resulting in a 70% share of New Zealand's international travellers.
The airport is the fourth busiest in Australasia after Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane airports. However, internationally, the airport is the second busiest in Australasia, being a third busier than Melbourne Airport in terms of international passengers. The airport has been rated in the top 3 worldwide for airports handling 5–15 million passengers annually. It was also voted the 8th best airport in the world by in 2011 at the world airport awards.
It has a capacity of about 45 flight movements per hour, using a single runway which is fully Cat IIIb capable (at a reduced rate of movements). A close by taxiway was upgraded for use as a runway when the main runway requires maintenance or for use during emergencies, but it does not have sufficient separation distance to operate simultaneously with the main runway. In November 2007 work began on a new northern runway, to be built in several stages and to be used mainly by smaller airplanes, freeing up capacity on the main runway. However, the project was put on hold for at least 12 months in October 2009, and deferred for a further few years in August 2010 following consultation with airlines and a review of capacity management options. The timing of the recommencement of construction of the second runway will be demand driven relative to the capacity of the existing runway.
History
The site of the airport was first used as an airfield by the Auckland Aero Club. In 1928, the club leased some land from a dairy farmer to accommodate the club's three De Havilland Gypsy Moths. The club president noted at the time that the site "has many advantages of vital importance for an aerodrome and training ground. It has good approaches, is well drained and is free from power lines, buildings and fogs."
In 1960 work started to transform the site into Auckland's main airport, taking over from Whenuapai in the north-west of the city. Much of the runway is on land reclaimed from the Manukau Harbour. The first flight to leave was an Air New Zealand DC-8 in November 1965, bound for Sydney. The airport was officially opened the following year, with a 'grand air pageant' on Auckland Anniversary weekend, 29 January to 31 January 1966.
A new international terminal, named after Jean Batten, was built in 1977. The most recent substantial upgrade was in 2005, separating arriving and departing passengers in response to the terrorism fears after 11 September 2001, which caused concerns that passengers arriving from 'unsafe' airports (i.e. those considered to have insufficient screening procedures) could transfer bombs or weapons in the mixed zone, passing them to other passengers departing for, for example, the USA.
Expansion
The airport has commenced building a second main runway 1,950 metres (6,400 ft) north of the current runway to allow all weather simultaneous operations. Major earthworks have been completed however the project has been put on temporary hold to ensure timing of eventual delivery is not ahead of demand. The project's initial NZ$32 million stage is to provide a 1,200-metre (3,900 ft) strip for use by smaller regional-connection planes. The new runway is expected to substantially increase the international-flight capacity of the airport, as smaller planes can be removed from the main runway. These require long safety distances from theair turbulence wakes of preceding jet airliners, causing associated additional delays.
Construction for Stage One started in November 2007. However, Stage Two will likely see the runway lengthened to 1,650 metres (5,410 ft) which will enable domestic jet flights to use it. Stage Three (final stage) will lengthen the runway to 2,150 metres (7,050 ft), allowing medium sized international jet flights to land there, from destinations such as the Pacific Islands or Australia. Eventually a new domestic terminal will also be built to the north to better utilize the new runway. The new runway will thus free up the longer southern runway to handle more heavy jet operations. The 10-year project would cost NZ$120 million, not including substantial extensions planned for the airport arrivals/departure buildings and associated structures.
An extension to the international terminal has recently been completed to allow the Airbus A380 to dock. Emirates has started flying one of its A380s on the Auckland — Dubai via Sydney route which commenced in May 2009. Emirates announced in December 2011 that they will replace their current B777-300ER aircraft used on the daily Dubai-Melbourne-Auckland route with a A380-800 from 1 October 2012.
Holding company
Auckland International Airport Limited (AIAL ) was formed in 1988, when the New Zealand Government corporatised the airport. It had previously been run by the Auckland Regional Authority, covering the five councils in the Auckland region.
The Government was AIAL’s majority shareholder, the rest being held by the local councils. In 1998 the Government sold its shareholding, and AIAL became the fifth airport company in the world to be publicly listed. At that time the major shareholders wereAuckland City Council (25.8%), Manukau City Council (9.6%) and North Shore CityCouncil (7.1%). North Shore City Council sold its shares in 1999 and Auckland City Council sold its share down to 12.8% in 2002.
AIAL appears on the New Zealand Stock Exchange (NZX: AIA ) and Australian Stock Exchange (ASX: AIA ). International shareholders hold around 40% of the shares, domestic approximately 60%.[citation needed] The company has a Standard & Poor's credit rating of A+/Stable/A-1.
AIAL enjoys diverse revenue streams, and operates a 'dual-till' approach, whereby its finances are split into aeronautical and non-aeronautical balance sheets. Aeronautical income is derived from airfield charges, terminal services charge and the airport development charge (or departure fee). Non-aeronautical revenue comes from its significant property portfolio, car park, and retail income. Income from the non-aeronautical side of the business accounts for just over half of its revenue. The airport has been criticised by airlines, led by Air New Zealand, for its purportedly high landing charges. However research conducted in September 2010 by aviation consultants Jacobs indicates that Auckland Airport international charges are slightly below the average of the 20 largest international airports flown by Air New Zealand. Further research by aviation consultants Airbiz conducted in August 2010 indicates that Auckland Airport domestic landing charges are amongst the lowest in Australasia.
The diversity in revenue was of benefit during the downturn in international aviation following the events of 11 September 2001, and subsequently the 2002 Bali bombings, SARS outbreak and the Iraq War. The airport was able to rely on steady income from the non-aeronautical side of the business, which softened the blow of international events. In addition, New Zealand retained favour among the world’s travellers as a safe destination.
In July 2009 Auckland Airport elected to delay a scheduled increase in its landing charges from 1 July 2009 to assist its airline customers during the recession. The scheduled increase was put in place on 1 March 2010. The company has in the past reportedly been singled out by airline lobby group IATA for its consistent excessive level of profits. Airlines such as Air New Zealand complain of excessive landing charges. On 5 June 2007, the airport's 60% profit margin was criticised by IATA director general and CEO Giovanni Bisignani. He said the airport had a "happy monopoly" and that IATA would ask the New Zealand government to investigate.
Until July 2008, AIAL charged all departing international passengers (12 years old or older) a $25 departure fee. This has been replaced with a passenger services charge levied on the airlines for each arriving and departing international passenger. This charge has commenced at $13 and will rise by 50 cents a year for two years to $14. Auckland Airport will cut the international passenger fee and would hike the domestic travellers charges in FY-2013.
Accidents and incidents
Accidents and incidents that occurred at or near Auckland Airport include:
§ 4 July 1966 - an Air New Zealand Douglas DC-8 on a training flight crashed on the runway shortly after taking off, killing two of the five crew (no passengers were on board).
§ 17 February 1979 - an Air New Zealand Fokker Friendship crashed into Manukau Harbour while on final approach. One of the crew and one company staff member were killed.
§ 31 July 1989 - a Mainfreight Convair 340/580 crashed shortly after taking off at night. The three crewmembers were killed.
§ 12 March 2003 - Singapore Airlines Flight 286 miscalculated its weight and attempted to lift off too early, resulting in the tail of the Boeing 747-400 to drag along Runway 05L for almost 500 metres.
Accidents and incidents that occurred on aircraft that departed from or were destined for Auckland Airport include:
§ 30 January 1974 - Pan Am Flight 806, a Boeing 707-321B-operated flight from Auckland to Los Angeles via Pago Pago and Honolulu, crashed on its approach to Pago Pago, killing 97 and injuring four.
§ 28 November 1979 - Air New Zealand Flight 901, a McDonnell Douglas DC-10-operated sightseeing flight from Auckland to Antarctica and return via Christchurch, crashed into Mount Erebus, killing all 257 on board.
§ 24 February 1989 - United Airlines Flight 811, a United Airlines 747 flight from Honolulu, Hawaii, suffered explosive decompression, killing nine.
§ 9 June 1995 - Ansett New Zealand Flight 703, a de Havilland DHC-8-operated flight from Auckland to Palmerston North, crashed in the Tararua Ranges while performing an instrument approach to Palmerston North in bad weather, killing four people and seriously injuring 14 others.
§ 3 May 2005 - Airwork Flight 23, a Fairchild SA227-AC Metro III-operated New Zealand Post cargo flight from Auckland to Blenheim, disintegrated over Stratford in Taranaki when the autopilot disengaged while trying to balance out fuel in the tanks, killing both pilots.
