Monday, December 17, 2018
Marlborough Airport needs 78,000 more passengers using it a year to attract competing airlines into the market and drive down prices.
The region has long struggled with expensive flights through its two main airlines, Air New Zealand and Sounds Air.
Marlborough Airport chief executive Dean Heiford said Jetstar was “probably the most obvious” major airline contender to move into Marlborough.
Heiford presented the update as part of an scheduled update on the Marlborough Airport at a Marlborough District Council planning, finance and community committee last month.
He said Marlborough Airport saw about 322,000 passengers this year, a new record, and up about 22,000 from last year.
Were numbers to continue on same upward trend, it would take about four years for Marlborough to hit the estimated 400,000 passengers needed to rope in more airlines.When Councillor Jamie Arbuckle asked if Marlborough Airport could cope with another airline, Heiford said it could, but there would be several hurdles to cross first.
The taxiway could join onto the main runway and reduce the amount of time aircrafts spent on it, increasing the number of flights.
