A new era in flight takes off in Hamilton
New flights to Australia from Hamilton Airport are taking off this morning. File photo.
Photo:
Supplied
Hamilton will once again have an international airport, with flights starting to and from Australia today.
(Left to right) Joshua Wikiriwhi-Heta from Ngaati Hauaa and Hamilton Airport chief executive Mark Morgan at the blessing on 3 June.
Photo:
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Hamilton mayor Paula Southgate said it would be a total game changer for the city.
"Direct flights into Hamilton open up huge opportunities, whether it be business, tourism, or leisure," she said.
The new flights
were announced in September 2024
. Jetstar will fly 188-seater A320 Neo aircraft both ways between Sydney and Hamilton (four days a week) and the Gold Coast and Hamilton (three days a week).
Southgate was not worried that it might become a direct one-way-door out of the city and across the Tasman for residents.
She said people were just happy to be able to have a holiday in Australia without having to go to Auckland first.
"This will be easier for them to go and visit friends and family and to do business in those big cities, and easier for them to go and enjoy some of the events and attractions Australia offers."
Zealong Tea Estate general manager Sen Kong said that had also been the message he had heard from staff.
"Some have been quite vocal in terms of how much more convenient it's going to be in order to contact with their friends and family, it also an opportunity to visit a market with a lot more convenience."
He said having an international airport again signalled Waikato as a region of growth.
Hamilton Airport group general manager operations Ben Langley, inside the new international terminal as it was being built.
Photo:
Supplied
"This city is ready for a lot more visitors and a lot more business to come its way. I think it's a great opportunity all together and I hope the region and all the people understand the importance of it."
Hamilton Business Association chief executive Vanessa Williams said only about 3 percent of the money currently spent in Hamilton city was from international visitors.
"I think that we will see quite a difference now having Jetstar flights and having Australians being able to come into Hamilton so much easier - I'm expected that that value of the overseas market-spend will increase here."
It has been 13 years since Hamilton has had trans-Tasman flights, and Hamilton Airport chief executive Mark Morgan said creating a new international airport for New Zealand was not for the faint of heart.
"It's quite a major process to have the government and crown agencies agree to stand up a border," he said.
Morgan thought a lot had changed demographically and economically in the region in the last decade, which made him confident the international service would not fizzle out this time.
"If we talk about the Waikato Region, it's had significant growth in the last decade. As we know Hamilton city is now the fastest growing city in New Zealand, the upper North Island is now the economic powerhouse of New Zealand and if we refer loosely to the golden triangle, the vast majority of New Zealanders now live in the upper North Island," he said.
Morgan said reintroducing the flights took work from both the airport and the airline.
"Ultimately the airline decides where they are going to fly, and airlines do a lot of work in terms of understanding the economics of new routes," he said.
This would including looking at demographics of the region and whether the Waikato is a market it could support and grow.
"We as well, as an airport company, do our own work around understanding the attractiveness of various routes," said Morgan.
The airport will also help provide airport resilience to the whole upper North Island. Morgan points to a situation over Easter as an example of the need for another airport which can receive international visitors.
A couple of aircraft were diverted to Hamilton due to weather that weekend but because Hamilton did not yet have an international border in place, the airlines could only take safe haven on the ground until they could fly back to Auckland for processing through customers.
"Had we had the border in place we could have been more effective in looking after the customers on board those aircraft," Morgan said.
He thought the government and others were beginning to recognise the importance of the upper North Island, of travel resilience, and having an alternative for airlines.
His Excellency Dr Daniel Soper (right), Australian High Commissioner, visiting the airport, with chief executive Mark Morgan.
Photo:
Supplied
Earlier this month a blessing was held at Hamilton Airport to thank contractors and border agencies and welcome up to 60 new airport-based staff who will work in the international terminal.
The terminal will officially open for business today when the first Jetstar flight from Sydney touches down in Hamilton, before boarding passengers and flying back across the Tasman that afternoon.
Morgan will be arriving on that first flight, along with Waipa District mayor Susan O'Regan, Hamilton City mayor Paula Southgate and Jetstar chief executive Stephanie Tully.
The refurnished terminal includes provision for full border controls provided by government agencies including aviation security, customs, MPI and immigration along with support from police and health services.
The terminal will be used by around 120,000 international passengers arriving and departing each year who are expected to spend $45 million per year into the regional economy.
Jetstar will be the fourth carrier to operate from Hamilton Airport, joining Air New Zealand, Sunair and Originair.
The airport already handles around 360,000 passengers annually with more growth forecast.
The first flight out to Sydney is 12.15pm while the first flight from Sydney arrives at 11.15am.
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