Auckland has seen some rough weather lately – but the deluge that closed Auckland Airport in January was something else entirely, and the airport is working to safeguard itself against any future similar event.
Scott Tasker (pictured), chief customer officer for Auckland Airport, said New Zealand construction customarily planned for one-in-100-year weather events.
Tasker said that the downpour that inundated Auckland Airport in January and halted flights was a “one-in-500-year” weather event.
Tasker addressed TRENZ media in Ōtautahi Christchurch in place of scheduled speaker Carrie Hurihanganui, the airport’s chief executive, who was ironically delayed by wild weather in Auckland. New Zealand’s largest city remained in the grip of intermittent thunder, hailstorms and brief, intense rain on Wednesday – after “a frightful night of squally electrical storms about the city”, according to the New Zealand Herald.
Tasker said Auckland Airport’s investment program included significantly upgrading its stormwater drainage system. The airport was undertaking a review to ensure the work it was doing would withstand any such storms in future. Climate change has been cited as a contributor to sudden downpours, precipitation conveyed across the land by “atmospheric rivers”.
Tasker said travel was making a steady comeback, and the airport should return to pre-Covid levels “sometime during 2025”. The airport has regained about 90% of its pre-Covid capacity, but the final 10% would take longer.
He said juggling capacity and airlines was like a game of musical chairs.
North America was “a real bright spot” and the airport’s second-largest destination. “In total, this summer we’re planning on having seven airlines flying non-stop from Auckland to eight destinations in North America.”
Auckland Airport is set to have four airlines running direct flights to and from Los Angeles for the summer season (Air New Zealand, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines), offering unprecedented capacity and airline choice for Kiwis heading to North America as well as inbound visitors from the United States.
Further to the north, Air Canada has also announced a 20% capacity expansion on its summer seasonal air route between Vancouver and Auckland.
For the first time since the pandemic, long-haul flights between Auckland and North America are set to exceed 2019 levels, with a planned 11% increase in flight numbers to those destinations next summer, compared to pre-pandemic.
Auckland Airport’s prime international link is to Australia. Aussies have a lot of choices, Tasker noted. They still see New Zealand as an attractive place to visit.
From September 2023 onwards, Qatar Airways is set to resume daily non-stop flights to and from Doha to Auckland. The Doha to Auckland route is the third longest non-stop route in the world and will be operated using Qatar Airways’ Airbus A350-1000 aircraft. Qatar Airways has a vast global network of over 140 destinations, including 39 in the United Kingdom and Europe.
“This is big news and gives Kiwis more airline options for travel to destinations globally,” Tasker added. “These additional flights will provide increased connectivity for New Zealanders to reach the popular gateway cities of Los Angeles, Vancouver and Doha. We will see more kiwis flying the nest this year, substantially boosting local tourism.
“New Zealand is highly appealing as a travel destination for visitors around the world.”
Kiwis not only have their sights set on North America and Doha. Demand is also increasing for travel to and from China.
“Before Covid, China was the second-largest source of visitors coming to New Zealand, and now with the Chinese borders open for international travellers, flights are quickly resuming,” Tasker said.
“Overall, we’re delighted with the shape of the recovery. New Zealand is now well and truly connected again across the globe, giving Kiwis a multitude of options for where they want to go, and importantly, it’s easier for visitors to reach our corner of the world.”
Written by: Peter Needham
