New Zealand and Australian national carriers are the largest customers of Auckland International Airport. Air New Zealand and Qantas have criticized its expansion plans as being too expensive and excessive.
When airports announce expansion and modernization, airlines usually applaud. Because more capacity and more modern infrastructure suits them. But Air New Zealand and Qantas do exactly the opposite. They criticized Oakland International Airport’s plans to build a new terminal, which it described as “the largest redesign since it opened in 1966”.
New Zealand’s largest airport presented its intentions at the end of March after twelve years in the making. The core of the NZ$3.9 billion (about €2.2 billion) project is the new construction of the twelve-gate domestic terminal. The current building is nearly 60 years old and almost exhausted to capacity, according to Auckland International Airport. It is located to the east of the international terminal and is therefore directly connected to it.
One stop for domestic and international flights
According to the airport, in the future it will be possible to switch from the international terminal to the domestic terminal in five minutes. In the new building, there will also be an additional lounge, vending areas and a new check-in area. In addition, Auckland International Airport is building a new train station through which public transportation and buses will be linked. The opening is scheduled for 2028 or 2029.
“Every dollar we spend on this infrastructure will continue to benefit travelers, airlines and New Zealand into the future,” commented Patrick Strange, Chairman of the Board. However, the two largest clients see things very differently. Air New Zealand and Qantas said in a joint statement that they were jointly critical of “the extent and cost of the planned expansion” and called for “urgent reconsideration of the plan”.
Fees should be increased
The main thing that bothers them is the cost involved. Meanwhile, Auckland International Airport has announced the development of the planned per-passenger fare over the next five years. They will nearly double on international routes and more than double on domestic routes, according to Air New Zealand and Qantas. this is unacceptable.
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