Nelson Airport car park set for $400,000 revamp

Nelson Airport's parking system is getting a spruce up after its "terrible" dated technology frustrated many customers.

The airport will invest $400,000 in its car parking facilities by improving its payment system and moving all short term and drop off parking to the the current main car park.

"We've got a lot of people who get frustrated with the machines," Nelson Airport chief executive Rob Evans said.

Ticketless parking will be available by allowing people to insert their credit cards into a machine as they enter the car park and then use the same credit card as they exit the car park.

New machines will include technology for cash, eftpos, credit card and paywave payments.

Nelson man Murray King said the current machines were "terrible" and time-consuming.

"After travelling all day you finally get here and then have to spend time in a queue," he said. He expected the new machines to make a big difference.

The new facilities will result in a price increase in short term parking to $1.50 per hour. The carpark's daily maximum is $10.

Evans said the increase was to compensate for $250,000 worth of new equipment for the new technology.

The long term car park's daily maximum would remain at $8 per day and the weekly maximum for long term car parking will reduce from $56 per week to $50.

Other changes to the road in front of the terminal would also "alleviate congestion" and improve safety as work on the new terminal commences, Evans said.

The road will have an island in the middle with a stopping lane either side - one for taxis and one for public drop-off's.

"That takes away all these people hanging around in front of the terminal," he said.

Nelson City Taxis driver Julia Young said it was currently very difficult to pick people up in front of the terminal when the airport was busy.

"Sometimes you can't even park - it's just really hard at the moment," she said. She hoped the changes would make it easier for taxis to pick up customers.

The current pay and display carparking located in the middle of the terminal car park will be converted to rental carparking.

The carparking improvements would be for the interim and the new terminal design, set to be complete in 2018, would include more car parking space.

The airport has had a big year with three new airlines and an all time high of 80,200 passengers through its doors in December 2015 alone.

"As demand continues to increase, there's a need to improve customer safety and provide modern technology to enhance the customer experience," Evans said.

Economic Development Agency chief executive Bill Findlater said he was encouraged by the airport's decision to upgrade the parking facilities now instead of waiting two years for the completion of the new terminal.

"It's important that our airport infrastructure can service the increased number of visitors, so it is great news that Nelson Airport is responding quickly to improve its car park," he said.

Work on the car park will begin Monday February 15 and is expected to be completed in the first week of March.

- Stuff

Press play to view the Nelson Mail video below.

[embed]https://assets.stuff.co.nz/video/production/1455162582017-airport%20carpark.mp4[/embed]

Media Release: Nelson Airport invests $400k in immediate car park upgrades

As a result of increased airline and passenger growth, Nelson Airport is investing $400,000 in its car park facilities to significantly improve the customer experience and safety, says CEO Rob Evans. Works start on Monday 15^th February and are due for completion during the first week of March. Over the last year, Nelson Airport has welcomed three new airlines in addition to the existing three operating out of Nelson. It now manages on average 400 flights per week. Passenger numbers in and out of Nelson have hit record highs, with December 2015 figures at an all-time high of 80,200 passengers. Each year, 1.3 million people now use the airport for travel, to meet and greet passengers, and for business.

Plans are underway for a new terminal to open in 2018, but CEO Rob Evans says the airport is investing now in interim improvements to car parking due to the congestion around the terminal entry, and users’ frustration with the aged car park equipment.

“As demand continues to increase, there’s a need to improve customer safety and provide modern technology to enhance the customer experience,” Evans says. “We are installing the latest car park equipment and improving the traffic flow now as we simply cannot wait until we have a new terminal and car park in 2018.

Nelson Regional Economic Development Agency Chief Executive Bill Findlater says the airport is developing in line with the regional economy.

“This summer’s fantastic tourist season follows positive economic growth figures recorded in the latest Tracking the Economy report,” says Mr Findlater. “It’s important that our airport infrastructure can service the increased number of visitors, so it is great news that the Nelson Airport is responding quickly to improve its car park rather than another two years.”

Rob Evans says the $400,000 investment will bring Nelson Airport’s car park infrastructure in line with those seen at airports around New Zealand. For example, taxis and shuttles will have a dedicated lane and staging area at the terminal entrance and passengers will have their own drop-off zone.

“The car park ticketing system will be modernised with additional new features such as payWave,” he says. “Credit cards can also be used at the entrance and exit barriers, so people with cards won’t have to use the terminal pay machine, which will reduce the queues.”

Evans adds that the maximum daily rate in the Long Term Car Park remains at $8 and the weekly rate in the Long Term car park has reduced to $50 a week from $56 a week. Short term car parking charges will increase slightly for the first time in 10 years to $1.50 an hour.

Visitors to Nelson Airport are advised to come early and use extra caution when entering the airport during the upgrades, though works will take place mostly in the evenings to minimise disruption.

Improvements at-a-glance:

Where to park

• For airport visitor safety, public drop-off traffic will have a dedicated lane and traffic island.
• All short term public car parking and pick up will be in the new Short Term Car Park, currently known as the Main Car Park.
• A dedicated P120 area will be close to the terminal in the Short Term Car Park.
• The current pay-and-display short term public car park will become rental car parking.
• Taxis and shuttles will have their own dedicated drop off and pick up (‘staging’) lane.

How to pay

• New technology for cash, eftpos, credit card or payWave payments will replace the current machine.
• For ticketless parking, people with a credit card can insert their card as they enter the car park and then use the same credit card as they exit the car park.
• Receipts can be issued for all transactions.

Prices from early March

1. The first 15 minutes is free.
2. Short term parking increases to $1.50 / hour.
3. The Short Term Car Park’s daily maximum is $10.
4. The Long Term Car Park’s daily maximum is $8 (unchanged).
5. The weekly maximum in the Long Term car park reduces to $50 from $56 per week.

Further Information:

• Six airlines serve the Nelson region: Air New Zealand, OriginAir, Kiwi Regional Airlines, Jetstar, Sounds Air, air2there.
• The new airport car park design was completed by Traffic Design Group (TDG).
• The airport works are being completed by Downer.
• The new car parking technology is by Skidata (skidata.com.

Click here for all details about our 2016 car park development project.

Air New Zealand flight diverted to Nelson Airport

An Air New Zealand flight has made an emergency landing after being diverted to Nelson Airport. Emergency services were sent to the incident after 3pm.

Nelson police said they were notified but the plane, en route from Christchurch to Hamilton with 58 people on board, had landed safely.

The Air New Zealand ATR72-600 sits on the Nelson Airport tarmac following an emergency landing on Tuesday. Police said the plane was diverted because of a problem in the cockpit. There were no further details about the nature of the problem.

Nelson Fire Station officer Paul Marshall said the plane made an emergency landing in Nelson after the pilot noticed a bit of smoke in the cockpit.

"They have landed as a bit of a precaution," he said. "Everybody is off [the plane] and happy."

The Nelson Fire Service responded to the incident at 3pm and were stood down once the plane landed safely and it was now being dealt with by airport staff, he said.

"We are just on local standby, it wasn't a full emergency," he said.

Graham Bell was on the flight with wife Margaret when they smelt what seemed to be smoke coming through the overhead air vents.

"We were just flying along nicely and all of a sudden there was just a smell of burning coming through the air vents. The pilot said we're going to have turn around and go to Nelson instead of Hamilton," Graham said. "You could smell it. It was quite strong," Margaret said.

Graham said there was a "wee bit of turbulence" on the way down, but the landing was smooth.

"We're just finding out if they're going to fix that one or give us a new plane, so how long we're going to be here, I don't know."

Trevor Johns, who was flying home to Hamilton, said the burning smell was "putrid" like "burning fur".

"Just started getting a bit distressed wondering what's that smell, what's going on, what's happening? The captain just pulled pin, eh," he said.

"The mood was heavy, mate. People were worried."

He said the pilot said the plane had electrical issues and they needed to initiate an emergency landing.

Passenger Pete Caldwell said the mood on the plane was "pretty relaxed".

"They seemed to have everything under control pretty well."

However, he was surprised that no one from Air New Zealand had met the passengers at the airport to explain what had happened and what their options were.

Nelson Airport chief executive Rob Evans said the aircraft was diverted and that it was a normal procedure and not unusual.

Police cordons were in place around the airport as a pre-caution, but were lifted by 3.30pm.

- Stuff

Air fare bonanza to stay - Jetstar

Jetstar's Australasian head says the air fare bonanza for New Zealanders is sustainable and will continue. Speaking after the launch of an expansion to its regional network, David Hall, Jetstar chief executive of Australia and New Zealand, said his airline's operating model and competition would keep fares low.

He said tens of thousands of passengers had paid less than $50 for regional flights since they went on sale last August and on jet routes about 70 per cent of 1.7 million passengers carried a year paid less than $100.

While regional network wouldn't be profitable for Jetstar "overnight," he said the airline backed the operation for the long-term.

Last week Air New Zealand chief executive Christopher Luxon questioned whether Jetstar's pricing was sustainable.

Hall said his airline wanted to grow the pie rather than cannibalise the competition.

Jetstar had been flying across the Tasman for a decade and main trunk routes with jets for more than six years and those operations were profitable last year.

"We've got a very efficient operating model," he said.

"We're not going to be profitable overnight (in the regions) but we're a very rational competitor and this will be sustainable."

At full list prices the value of the five 50-seat Bombardier Q300s regional planes nine A320s was close to $500 million, representing a substantial investment for Qantas-owned Jetstar, said Hall.

The airline has been flying between Auckland, Napier and Nelson last December and today added flights from Auckland to New Plymouth and Palmerston North, and Nelson to Wellington.

This year Jetstar would have more than 600,000 on its regional network. Hall said on time performance of regional services was improving.

"It's performing in line with expectations. When you've only got a small fleet small movements can have a big percentage impact."

- NZ Herald

3:44 PM Monday Feb 1, 2016

Grant Bradley

Kiwi Regional Airlines announces alliance with Barrier Air

Kiwi Regional Airlines and Auckland-based carrier Barrier Air have announced a new alliance.

From February 8, Barrier Air will offer Auckland-Hamilton flights as Air New Zealand moves to drop the route.

Kiwi Regional Airlines chief executive Ewan Wilson said Air New Zealand's decision to pull out of some regional routes had triggered a series of carriers to start up but they tended to be operating in silos.

"Our agency alliance with Barrier Air is exciting and is one of many relationships I'm keen to develop," Wilson said.

"This is our first attempt at creating more co-ordination and working with another carrier to provide more connectivity."

From February 15, Kiwi Air passengers flying routes between Nelson, Dunedin and Hamilton will be able to connect in Hamilton with Barrier Air flights to Auckland and on to Great Barrier Island, North Shore or Kaitaia around midday on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

"Essentially, we've agreed to sell each other's seats. So you can book a seat on Barrier Air with us at a concessionary rate. It will be two separate tickets but the schedules have been co-ordinated," he said.

"For us, this alliance allows us to sell destinations like North Shore, Great Barrier Island and destinations as far north as Kaitaia."

In November, Northland Regional Council and Far North District Council called for Northland people to support Barrier Air or risk losing the service.

Meanwhile, Kiwi Air will begin flying to and from Tauranga from February 15.

The airline will offer a twice-weekly direct connection for Bay of Plenty residents to Nelson, with the service also connecting on to Dunedin one day a week.

Since its first flight in October, Wilson said the company was "thrilled" with its load factor (passenger numbers), with an  average of 70 per cent of seats sold.

The airline was still working to improve its yield and saw great potential in catering to corporate travellers.

 - Stuff

AARON LEAMAN

Last updated 18:09, February 1 2016

It’s official: tourism is booming

New tourism figures have backed up what people are noticing on the streets of Nelson – it’s been a big year for industry.

New figures from Nelson Tasman Tourism show a dramatic 7.7 per cent increase in the number of people staying the night compared to the previous year-end November statistics – exceeding the national average of 4.8 per cent.

Last month, Nelson Weekly was first to report the dramatic increase of visitors to the region, with Nelson Airport recording a 23 per cent increase in the number of passengers flying in and out of the region, which has been largely fuelled by three new airlines operating to the region.

Lynda Keene, chief executive of Nelson Tasman Tourism, says it’s a “great result” for the region, which has built on the steady growth that they have seen since July last year.

International guests staying the night were also up 6.7 per cent – just pipping the national growth result of 6.6 per cent. Domestic guest nights increased 8.2 per cent, compared to the national result of 3.7 per cent growth.

The region’s average length of stay also increased 6.33 per cent, which was the highest increase nationally.

Lynda says, “without a doubt,” the launch of Kiwi Regional Airlines, Jetstar and Originair have contributed to visitor growth.

“The region has received significant additional exposure by airlines promoting Nelson as a new destination and we’ll continue to work with them to ensure the early growth trends with increased passengers will continue over the next twelve months,” she says.

Lynda says the strong performance can also be attributed to strong marketing campaigns to promote the region’s many festivals and expos.

Lynda says the summer season has now “kicked in to high gear” with lots of Kiwis and international visitors soaking up the sun and enjoying the great outdoors and retail, food and wine. Nelson i-SITE visitor numbers are also up by 15 per cent.

“The majority of our international marketing is done to promote the high season in long-haul offshore markets, with increasing activities undertaken in Australia, China and India to encourage shoulder and winter month visitation,” she says.

“We anticipate continued growth from international and domestic travellers over the next two years and it’s heartening to see the tourism industry being such a positive economic contributor to the regional economy.”

Nelson Weekly/Nelson Live

Kate Russell

February 3rd, 2016 10:17 am

Jetstar begins Wellington flights

Jetstar flights from Nelson to Auckland have been a huge success and the low-cost airline is hoping for more of the same from its Nelson to Wellington service that flew for the first time today.

Overall passenger numbers through Nelson Airport rose 18 per cent in December compared with the same month the previous year, with traffic on the Nelson-Auckland route jumping 33 per cent.

David Hall, Jetstar CEO Australia and New Zealand, says passenger loads on the new regional services were above 90 per cent in December and January.

“This year we’ll have over 600,000 seats on sale across our New Zealand regional network providing more opportunities for more Kiwis to fly more often for less.

“Since we started selling our regional flights in August last year tens of thousands of New Zealand travellers have booked tickets for under $50, backing up our commitment to bring low fares choice to the market.

Mr Hall said the increased passenger numbers at Nelson Airport was a great example of how Jetstar’s low fares stimulate markets.

“Many passengers on our new regional services have never flown before or haven’t travelled by air for many years. That’s the kind of growth a low fares airline brings to new routes – new customers and more frequent fliers.”

The inaugural Nelson-Wellington service departed at 10.05am, arriving in Wellington at 10.40am. Return services are offered three times a day on the Nelson-Wellington route.

Nelson Airport CEO Rob Evans says it’s “fantastic” for Nelsonians that Jetstar is extending its service with the Nelson – Wellington route. “Wellington is one of the key routes for Nelsonians doing business. There are many business commuters who fly there every week already, and we anticipate people will look for additional business opportunities in the capital now that there is more capacity available on this route. Wellington is also the closest city destination to fly to from Nelson, so having more flights is great for everyone wanting a trip away to ‘the coolest little capital in the world.’”

 

Nelson Live

February 1st, 2016 1:40 pm

New airlines break Nelson visitor records

"Extraordinary" growth in air travel over the past year has seen record breaking numbers through Nelson Airport and 400 flights in and out of the terminal each week.

The number of airlines in Nelson have doubled in the past year with six now flying to seven different destinations across New Zealand. There was an additional 30,000 passengers in 2015 compared to five years ago. The new airlines include Jetstar, Originair and Kiwi Regional.

Passenger numbers rose 18 per cent in December 2015 compared to December 2014 with 80,210 people passing through the terminal, said Nelson Airport chief executive Rob Evans.

Passenger numbers rose 18 per cent in December 2015 compared to December 2014 with 80,210 people passing through the terminal, said Nelson Airport chief executive Rob Evans.

"December was a record breaking month for the airport ... people visiting the airport would have noticed this increase in flights as the terminal and carpark have been extremely busy over the last few months," he said.

The airport has employed a new terminal supervisor Simon Trillo in a bid to keep up with the growth, Evans said.

Jetstar's service between Auckland and Nelson, introduced in December, was met with enthusiasm from the public. Its first two direct flights from Nelson to Wellington are set to take off on Monday and are also looking promising, said spokesperson Phil Boeyen.

He said Nelson was the airline's busiest regional port with seven flights to Auckland and Wellington each day.

"The bookings are looking good, Auckland has had really high loads," he said.

In a Rotary speech on Wednesday, Nelson MP Nick Smith said the increase in passenger numbers was good, but the airport facilities were inadequate to keep up with demand.

He said annual passenger numbers through the airport had grown from 150,000 per year in 1990 to more than 750,000 in 2015. The number was likely to hit 1 million by 2020.

"People's first experience in Nelson currently is an over-crowded airport. This risks eroding our brand as a lifestyle centre where people can relax away from the hassles and crowds of big cities," he said.

He would make working with the Airport Company and the Nelson and Tasman District Councils a key priority for 2016, he said.

Kiwi Regional Airlines (KRA) chief executive Ewan Wilson said Nelson had been a key destination for the company, which also flies to Hamilton and Dunedin.

He said Nelson was at the centre of their upcoming expansion plans.

"We start our Tauranga to Nelson service next month and immediately the Nelson flights started to sell like hot cakes," he said.

He indicated the company was about to make further announcements that would involve Nelson.

"There might be a further step this year to add additional flying [to KRA] yet again - that will revolve around Nelson," he said.

"In the next couple of weeks we will start an overnight airplane service in Nelson on a Saturday night - we'll have the ability to operate a lot of charters out of Nelson and other exciting operations ahead."

The increase in passenger numbers have been reflected in visitor counts in the region, benefiting businesses.

Mapua's Cool Store Gallery owner Tricia Morrison said she had noticed a "huge" influx of customers, particularly North Islanders, since the launch of the new airlines.

"It's just made Nelson so accessible now ... you can just come down for a weekend as a family or in a group, I've noticed there's been lots of people like that in the gallery and I've been there 16 years," she said.

She noted that air fares had dropped considerably since the new airlines had arrived which had a "huge influence on people".

BY THE NUMBERS

Passengers through Nelson airport

2015: 764,050 +3 per cent

2014: 744,416 -3 per cent

2013: 765,266  +2 per cent

2012: 748,888 +2 per cent

2011: 734,835

 - Stuff

JESS PULLAR

Last updated 16:11, January 29 2016

Airlines expand flights out of Nelson

As one regional airline expands out of Nelson to Wellington another has announced a partnership which will allow it to fly to Auckland.

Jetstar had its first flight to Wellington yesterday, expanding the network of flights out of Nelson.

Chief executive of Nelson Airport Rob Evans said it was "fantastic for Nelsonians" that Jetstar was extending its service.

"Wellington is one of the key routes for Nelsonians doing business. There are many business commuters who fly there every week already, and we anticipate people will look for additional business opportunities in the capital now that there is more capacity available on this route."

Wellington was also the closest city destination to fly to from Nelson, he said, so having more flights was "great for everyone wanting a trip away to 'the coolest little capital in the world'."

Evans said Wellington Airport and its tourism body should also be congratulated for its strategies to increase tourism which had huge "flow on" potential for us.

"For example, Singapore Airlines' new service between Wellington and Canberra, which will cut flight times to Asia significantly, promises to be a boon for Nelson's tourism sector, especially now that there are more flights between Wellington and Nelson to link with international destinations."

Kiwi Regional Air also announced yesterday that it would partner with Barrier Air, which flies routes to Auckland, Kaitaia, North Shore and Great Barrier Island.

KRA passengers, flying routes between Nelson, Dunedin and Hamilton will be able to connect in Hamilton with Barrier Air flights to Auckland, and on to Great Barrier Island, North Shore or Kaitaia about midday on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, starting February 15.

Passengers booking on Kiwi flights to Hamilton will be able to "add on" a connecting Barrier Air flight to one of these destinations at a concessionary rate and Barrier Air passengers will be able to land in Hamilton, and transfer to a connecting KRA flight to Nelson and Dunedin.

In a joint statement from the airlines, KRA chief executive Ewan Wilson and Barrier chief executive Mike Foster said they were "very pleased to be able to help ordinary Kiwis living in regional areas to fly from north to south, and vice versa, on fully regional services."

Foster said the NZ Civil Aviation Authority was in the process of certifying his airline's new route between Auckland and Hamilton, following a proving flight last week.

"We want Hamilton passengers to be able to continue flying to Auckland when Air New Zealand stops that service on 7th February, and we want to give all regional passengers more choice and better access to our services in the north."

Each airline's reservations staff will be able to act as agents for the other airline's flights, with tickets for the new connections due to go on sale next week.

Both company heads explained that this agreement was not a codeshare service, but an agreement to sell each other seats with each issuing separate tickets for a coordinated schedule.

 - Stuff

Last updated 12:56, February 2 2016

Air New Zealand plans first night flights into Queenstown

Air New Zealand will begin night flights to Queenstown in July, pending regulatory approval. Photo: Chris McLennan

Air New Zealand is poised to begin its first-ever night flights in and out of Queenstown Airport in July, in time for the ski season at the popular South Island destination.

The night flights, at present are only planned between Auckland and Queenstown with A320 aircraft, remain subject to regulatory approval. Air NZ has decided against trans-Tasman night flights for the time being given the Queenstown flights connect to international flights from its main hub in Auckland.

We believe our proposed Queenstown schedule will be a game-changer for international travellers in particular.

Cam Wallace

Overall, the night flights will help grow Air NZ's capacity between Auckland and Queenstown by 15 per cent in the financial year beginning July 1.

Queenstown Airport is spending $NZ17 million ($15.7 million) to widen its runway and install new lighting to allow for the new flights after New Zealand's Civil Aviation Authority in 2014 approved the safety case for the flights provided the airport infrastructure was properly upgraded.

Individual airlines also need to meet set criteria relating to fleet and operating procedures. Air NZ chief flight operations and safety officer Captain David Morgan said his airline had been working with pilots, safety teams and its unions to finalise a thorough safety case that would be submitted to the regulator in the near future.

Air NZ chief sales and commercial officer Cam Wallace said the night schedule, which includes a last departure for Auckland at 7:30pm in winter, would provide better choice and flexibility for travellers.

"We believe our proposed Queenstown schedule will be a game-changer for international travellers in particular with same day connections as well as reduced connection times both to and from a range of destinations across Australia, Asia and North America," he said.

The new flights will go on sale by early next week.

Jetstar, the only other carrier between Auckland and Queenstown, has yet to say whether it will launch night flights domestically or across the Tasman. Qantas and

January 27, 2016

Jamie Freed

Senior Reporter

New airlines break Nelson visitor records

Passenger numbers have increased at Nelson Airport with the arrival of new airlines. "Extraordinary" growth in air travel over the past year has seen record breaking numbers through Nelson Airport and an additional 400 flights in and out of the terminal each week.

The number of airlines in Nelson have doubled in the past year with six now flying to seven different destinations across New Zealand. There was an additional 30,000 passengers in 2015 compared to five years ago. The new airlines include Jetstar, Originair and Kiwi Regional.

Passenger numbers rose 18 per cent in December 2015 compared to December 2014 with 80,210 people passing through the terminal, said Nelson Airport chief executive Rob Evans.

"December was a record breaking month for the airport ... people visiting the airport would have noticed this increase in flights as the terminal and carpark have been extremely busy over the last few months," he said.

The airport has employed a new terminal supervisor Simon Trillo in a bid to keep up with the growth, Evans said.

Jetstar's service between Auckland and Nelson, introduced in December, was met with enthusiasm from the public. Its first two direct flights from Nelson to Wellington are set to take off on Monday and are also looking promising, said spokesperson Phil Boeyen.

He said Nelson was the airline's busiest regional port with seven flights to Auckland and Wellington each day.

"The bookings are looking good, Auckland has had really high loads," he said.

In a Rotary speech on Wednesday, Nelson MP Nick Smith said the increase in passenger numbers was good, but the airport facilities were inadequate to keep up with demand.

He said annual passenger numbers through the airport had grown from 150,000 per year in 1990 to more than 750,000 in 2015. The number was likely to hit 1 million by 2020.

"People's first experience in Nelson currently is an over-crowded airport. This risks eroding our brand as a lifestyle centre where people can relax away from the hassles and crowds of big cities," he said.

He would make working with the Airport Company and the Nelson and Tasman District Councils a key priority for 2016, he said.

Kiwi Regional Airlines (KRA) chief executive Ewan Wilson said Nelson had been a key destination for the company, which also flies to Hamilton and Dunedin.

He said Nelson was at the centre of their upcoming expansion plans.

"We start our Tauranga to Nelson service next month and immediately the Nelson flights started to sell like hot cakes," he said.

He indicated the company was about to make further announcements that would involve Nelson.

"There might be a further step this year to add additional flying [to KRA] yet again - that will revolve around Nelson," he said.

"In the next couple of weeks we will start an overnight airplane service in Nelson on a Saturday night - we'll have the ability to operate a lot of charters out of Nelson and other exciting operations ahead."

The increase in passenger numbers have been reflected in visitor counts in the region, benefiting businesses.

Mapua's Cool Store Gallery owner Tricia Morrison said she had noticed a "huge" influx of customers, particularly North Islanders, since the launch of the new airlines.

"It's just made Nelson so accessible now ... you can just come down for a weekend as a family or in a group, I've noticed there's been lots of people like that in the gallery and I've been there 16 years," she said.

She noted that air fares had dropped considerably since the new airlines had arrived which had a "huge influence on people".

BY THE NUMBERS

Passengers through Nelson airport

2015: 764,050 +3 per cent

2014: 744,416 -3 per cent

2013: 765,266  +2 per cent

2012: 748,888 +2 per cent

2011: 734,835

 - Stuff

Woman busted with methamphetamine at Nelson Airport

A woman carrying more than an ounce of methamphetamine on a flight from Auckland to Nelson was arrested by police at the airport. The 36-year-old woman, who was travelling alone, was arrested at the airport on Sunday, police said.

The amount seized would have an estimated street value of $28,000.

Detective Senior Sergeant Craig Johnston said the arrest came as the result of police investigations into the supply of the drug in the region.

The woman is to appear in the Nelson District Court today charged with possessing methamphetamine for supply and offering to sell methamphetamine.

Stuff

Last updated 13:40, January 25 2016

Singapore Airlines confirms Wellington-Canberra flights

The new flights will be operated using 266-seat retrofitted Boeing 777-200 aircraft. Photo / Wikimedia Commons - mailer_diablo Singapore Airlines has just confirmed it will start flying between Wellington and Canberra, launching in September.

The airline will link the two cities for the first time with a four times a week service that will fly on to Singapore.

It is the first time the two Australasian cities have been linked and is a coup for both as they expand international operations.

Singapore Airlines has dubbed the service the "Capital Express" and it is aimed at the lucrative government and corporate market more likely to fly in business class seats and the leisure market, particularly Kiwis who want to connect with the airline's network in Asia.

The new flights will be operated using 266-seat retrofitted Boeing 777-200 aircraft, that has 38 business class seats and 228 economy class seats.

Singapore Airlines executive vice president commercial, Mak Swee Wah, said his airline was "extremely proud" to be the first airline to provide non-stop flights between the New Zealand and Australian capital cities.

"New Zealand is a very important part of our global route network and is a popular destination for visitors from around the globe. New Zealanders are also renowned worldwide for their enthusiasm for travel," he said.

Although Wellington Airport has plans to extend its runway by 300m as part of a plan to attract long haul flights with aircraft such as the Boeing 777, at least two of those planes have landed at the airport previously.

Airport company chief executive Steve Sanderson said the announcement marked an historic day for Wellington.

Wellington's connections will be greatly improved, and travellers will be able to stay on the same widebody plane all the way to Singapore and connect onwards to Asia, Europe and other parts of the world from their award winning global hub, Changi Airport.

Tickets for the new service, which is subject to regulatory approval, will be on sale from next Monday, with fares from $1808 for Wellington-Singapore return and $587 for Wellington Canberra return.

Singapore Airlines' fleet of more than 100 aircraft flies to 60 destinations in 33 countries and it currently operates 14 round-trip flights from Auckland and Christchurch to Singapore a week.

With the addition of the Canberra service it will also be the first time a non trans-Tasman carrier has operated to more than two points in New Zealand.

Wellington Airport has 100,000 flights and almost six million travellers a year. This number is expected to reach 10 million by 2030.

- NZ Herald

10:01 AM Wednesday Jan 20, 2016

Grant Bradley

Aviation, tourism and energy writer for the Business Herald

Kiwi Air to test Taupo interest

Kiwi Air has its sights on Taupo with a test flight next week set to gauge interest in the route.

Taupo air travellers sighed in relief when their council signed a six-year deal with Sounds Air last year.

The success of the Marlborough based airline, which filled the Taupo-Wellington route abandoned by Air New Zealand, along with Taupo's growth, is now being closely watched by another air operator- Hamilton-based Kiwi Regional Airlines.

Kiwi Regional Airlines chief executive Ewan Wilson is has been in talks with the Taupo Airport about providing Taupo flights.

Kiwi Regional Airlines chief executive Ewan Wilson said nothing has been "set in concrete" but the Hamilton based-airline has been in talks with the Taupo Airport about providing Taupo flights.

It already flies between Hamilton, Dunedin, Nelson, and Tauranga.

Next Wednesday the airline will be breaking into its regular Dunedin-Nelson-Hamilton scheduled service to run it's first charter by whisking American rock legends Huey Lewis & The News into Taupo for the Summer Concert Tour.

The airline is offering $29 seats from Taupo to Hamilton on the same day (12.45pm).

Wilson said the charter would be used as a way of gauging the level of interest in providing more regular Taupo flights.

"[We're] excited to be flying into Taupo for the first, and hopefully not the last time," he said.

"We have often looked at Taupo and although we don't have any long-term plans set in concrete it is fair to say we are constantly reviewing and looking at how other airports fit with our future business model. Taupo is definitely on that list."

He said the airline was not interested in going head to head with other providers

Taupo mayor David Trewavas said having more Taupo flights would bring more benefits to the region.

"The airport is completely open to anyone as long as they meet aviation and the airport's requirements so it is very good news," he said.

"Our regional growth is substantial at the moment and there has been a lot of interest from people wanting to visit so this could have a significant impact on tourism."

Trewavas said the Sounds Air service, which provides at least three return flights each weekday and two return flight on Saturday and Sunday, had been well received.

Despite the council agreeing to guarantee the first three seats on each flight it hadn't needed to.

"Everyone that flies on it raves about it," he said.

To book on the one-off flight visit flykiwiair.co.nz or phone 07 444 5020.

 - Stuff

LUKE KIRKEBY

Last updated 09:20, January 22 2016

Airlines help boost tourism

 Nelson Airport has recorded a dramatic 23 per cent increase in the number of passengers flying in and out of the region, helping fuel the region’s bumper tourism season.Nelson Airport chief executive Rob Evans says the passenger numbers jumped by 16,000, from 67,293 in December 2014 to 83,261 in December 2015 – a new record for the airport.

It’s on the back of three new airlines operating to the region and it’s having a wide impact, with representatives from tourism, retail, food and accommodation sectors all saying it’s been the best tourism summer for years.

Nelson Tasman Tourism chief executive Lynda Keene says that “Nelson is shining,” and has received nothing but positive feedback from all sectors.

“Despite a bit of rain, it’s going fantastic – it’s been bumper season so far.”

She says the city and retail area are “absolutely buzzing,” and foot traffic at Nelson i-SITE was up 15 per cent this summer, which indicates that there have been more visitors to the region, and numbers are already tracking ahead for January.

“We’ve had visitors from all countries around the world. We’re really lucky with the Mapua and Kaiteriteri developments, which have also been very busy.”

She says the launch of new airlines Jetstar, Originair and Kiwi Regional Air in 2015 has definitely made an impact on tourist numbers this summer.

Tasman’s Great Taste Cycle Trail has also proved to be a popular summer attraction, with trail counters recording 13,000 users during the 11 day Christmas and New Year period compared with 9000 for the previous year.

Chair of the Nelson Tasman Cycle Trust Gillian Wratt says Kaiteriteri is a particularly popular section, with user numbers tripling, compared with this period 12 months ago.

“The whole thing is ticking over nicely and businesses along the cycle trail are reaping the benefits.”

Nicky McBride of Wheelie Fantastic, located at Mapua, says they’ve had a big increase of international cyclists.

“We expect numbers to continue to grow. It is our fifth season and it is shaping up to be our busiest.”

Tahuna Beach Holiday Park general manager Marcel Fekkes says that they have been “totally chocca,” and it’s the first time in years that they’ve had to turn people away.

“It’s definitely busier than last year,” he says. “We’ve had an influx of international visitors this year, and a lot more walking traffic too – people have been wandering in asking for sites.”

Motel Association of New Zealand Nelson branch administration officer John Gilbertson says the region’s motels have also been busy of the statutory break, but says it’s too early to tell what the season in total is going to be like.

“It’s been going well, and we’ve been busy so far,” he says. “We are predicting that the new airlines will make a difference.”

The Abel Tasman National Park is also proving to be a hot spot, with a surge of both international and kiwi visitors this summer.

Brendan Alborn, owner of Abel Tamsan Aqua taxi says they have been busier than year, which he puts down to a combination of the New Zealand dollar being weak, better promotion from the tourism sector, and more kiwis out and about doing activities and spending more.

“It’s been a fantastic season,” he says. “There have just been so many people around. The season started early and kicked on – it’s been crazy.”

He says the recent rain hasn’t made any impact on business either.

“People tend to either guts the rain out, or pay attention to the forecast,” he says. “After a rainy day we’ll be inundated with people, so it averages out.”

Vic Brew Bar general manager Phil Williams says the bar had an earlier start to the season and that his staff have noticed more overseas tourists this year.

And it seems the good times may not be coming to an end just yet. Lynda says winter is also shaping up to be busy, especially with the arrival of Jetstar’s Nelson to Wellington flights and the return of some events, such as Light Nelson.

“Were in really good shape, and it’s looking to be a better winter than last year.”

Rob Evans says he’s been stuck by the how many people are in the airport throughout the day. “It’s just the consistency of it. We’re busy from the moment we open up at 6am right through to the last flight. It gets a bit cosy in here at times but it’s a good news story that shows the confidence in the region.”

He says car rentals at the airport have also had a record month.

Nelson Live/ Nelson Weekly

Kate Russell

January 20th, 2016 10:52 am

Nelson collector finds historic letter opener at Salvation Army store

It has been discovered the silver aircraft opener was made by the late silversmith Jens Hansen as a gift for the then Prime Minister Bill Rowling to mark the opening of the Nelson Airport Terminal in 1975.

A savvy collector's thrift store purchase has recovered a piece of Nelson's history just two weeks after it parted ways with its original owner.

Owner of Hardy St shop Cubicle Kim Brice found the sterling silver letter opener made by Nelson jeweller Jens Hansen and gifted to then-prime minister Bill Rowling at the 1975 opening of a Nelson Airport terminal building in the Vanguard St Salvation Army store.

Brice, who briefly worked for Jens Hansen 1985, said he said he immediately recognised the jeweller's stamp on the aeroplane-shaped opener, which he purchased for $125.

Kim Brice, left, and Hafdan Hansen with the letter opener found in a Salvation Army store.

He was not aware of its history and former ownership.

"Anyone else could have got it and put it on TradeMe so I feel pretty privileged," Brice said.

He called Jens' son Hafdan Hansen who said he never saw the item at the time of its commission but recognised it from old photographs.

Jens Hansen with silver letter opener he crafted for former prime minister Bill Rowling in 1975

"I knew instantly then they said 'letter opener' and I went straight to the scrapbook."

The opener was donated to the Salvation Army two weeks ago when Lady Glen Rowling downsized to move into a Milton St retirement home.

Her son Carl Rowling said he was delighted the opener had come into Brice's hands rather than falling into "the clutches of obscurity".

Nelson Provincial Museum Collection

Former prime minister Bill Rowling, second from right, at the 1975 opening of Nelson Airport Terminal.

"There's a long connection between our two families. We went to Waimea College together and both our families used to holiday in Kaiteriteri together.

"We were always very conscious of Jens' work so I suspect that if anyone had known what it was that it wouldn't have been thrown out. Unfortunately it got caught up in that and ended up as a wonderful donation to the Salvation Army."

Hansen said the piece was commissioned at a time when his father, 15 years deceased, was "at the height of his national fame", having been awarded a Queen Elizabeth II arts grant.

"I'm always proud of my dad and it just makes me remember that back then he was at the top of his game and had a place in the Nelson community.

"He moved to New Zealand in 1952 as a 12-year-old boy from Denmark. Coming [to Nelson] he wanted to be accepted so was a vote from the community when they turned to him to make that."

The opener was difficult to value given the intrinsic value of the silver used and the intangible value of its prime-ministerial ownership, he said.

Brice will display the opener in his shop, though it won't be for sale. He is considering donating it or a replica to Te Papa at a later date.

 - Stuff

ADELE REDMOND

Last updated 12:37, January 19 2016

Tourists to Nelson on the rise in bumper season

Nelson's warm sunny weather and an increase in tourists are boosting sales and bringing a buzz to the city.

While a couple of rainy days over New Years threatened sales at the Saturday market, stall holders say tourists have continued to pack out the market every week.

"There's definitely a lot more tourists around, they come in waves," said Abstrax.on Textiles stallholder Louise Neilson.

She said things were only going to get better from here given that there were still a few warm months to come.

Echo Echo stall holder Lyn Watkins said tourist numbers had picked up at the market and cheaper flights in and out of the region could be a contributing factor.

"I've seen a few more Aucklanders... for a lot of people at the market we need to be busy December through to March before winter. It's good to have them about," he said.

While Nelson Tasman Tourism was yet to receive specific statistics on the tourist count to Nelson this summer, chief executive Lynda Keene said feedback from across all industries had been positive.

She said foot traffic at Nelson i-SITE was up 15 per cent this summer which was a good indicator that more tourists were coming to the region.

"The people that come through the door reflect the people going out and spending funds."

She said the new airlines that launched in Nelson over 2015 were factors in contributing to the increase.

"Jetstar, Originair and Kiwi Regional have really helped us make a profile of the region, we're now getting a broader reach into different parts of the world," she said.

With the impending launch of the Jetstar Nelson to Wellington service and the return of popular winter events including Light Nelson, the bumper season looked set to continue long into 2016, said Keene.

"We're anticipating a better winter in 2016. It was a bit flat last winter... we are in good shape," she said.

Tasman's Great Taste Trail has also proved to be a drawcard for visitors, with trail counters showing a 19 per cent increase in users over 2015.

A total of 224,000 people used the trail over the year, said Nelson Tasman Cycle Trust chair Gillian Wratt.

Over the 11 day Christmas and New Year period trail counters showed 13,000 people used the trail, well up from the 9000 counted in the previous year.

Hot spot Kaiteriteri also tripled its user numbers over the same period this year.

"The whole thing is ticking over nicely and businesses along the cycle trail are reaping the benefits," said Wratt.

Nicky McBride of Wheelie Fantastic in Mapua said there had been a noticeable increase in international cyclists.

"We expect numbers to continue to grow. It is our fifth season and it is shaping up to be our busiest," McBride said.

Nelson Economic Development Agency chief executive Bill Findlater said the Nelson region was stacking up well against other regions in New Zealand as the summer months brought in an influx of visitors.

"It's been a really good summer for us I think for the whole region... it just has a really good feel about it," he said.

Uniquely Nelson manager Simon Duffy said feedback from retailers in the city had been positive and things were set to get busier with the Trafalgar Street Market Day event at the end of January where he was expecting more than 8,000 people to attend.

"All the stalls are sold out and in conjunction with the buskers it's looking great," he said.

 - Stuff

JESS PULLAR

Last updated 08:08, January 18 2016

Airport security staff may strike

Airport security staff are considering a nationwide strike after being told they are losing an allowance worth $2100 a year.

Aviation security officers say they are being worked to the bone, and to make matters worse, their latest contract offer takes away the valuable transport allowance.

It is a highly unionised work force - 85 percent of 800 staff - and collectively represented by the Public Service Association, E Tū, and the National Union of Public Employees.

Listen to more on Summer Report ( 2 min 55 sec )

The PSA's Wellington organiser, George Laird, said losing the allowance would feel like a "kick in the teeth".

The allowance was the same for all employees, no matter their role.

"It's a small amount of money to recompense them for their daily travel to the airport at all hours of the day, and some people will say other companies don't provide it, but we really see the loss of the allowance as a pay drop... it makes up part of a person's overall salary," he said.

But group manager of Aviation Security Services Karen Urwin said a fair buyout offer had been made.

"Many other organisations have been through this and very few still have a transport allowance. I should also add we pay for our own staff parking at the airport," she said.

The unions voted to strike at the end of last year but decided against it due to the Christmas rush.

Mr Laird said if members were to walk off the job, flights would be cancelled and there would be a nationwide standstill.

Ms Urwin hoped it would not come to that.

"We have an amazing workforce that works damn hard and I'd be really disappointed if things ended up with a strike, but we have contingency plans in place and we'd manage to the point where the public wouldn't see any difference."

Mr Laird said the unions would also rather settle a deal than strike, which would be the first in more than two decades.

But another issue employees want resolved was an increase in workload, especially in Auckland where 730,000 passengers - the highest ever - were screened last month.

"There's stress and if you go out to Wellington airport where there's limited screening, you'll often see queues going right back," he said.

Ms Urwin said the service was currently reviewing its staffing levels and increases could be made.

No aviation security officers were able to talk to RNZ because it would breach a confidentiality clause in their contract.

Radio New Zealand News

Updated at 8:39 am 15 January 2016

Max Towle, Employment Reporter - @maxbentleytowle

Singapore Airlines could soon land in Wellington, via Australia's capital

One of the world's most prestigious airlines could soon be landing in Wellington, with Singapore Airlines expected to launch a new jumbo service between the trans-Tasman capital cities.

After months of negotiations, the airline is expected to announce a new Airbus A330 service between Canberra and Wellington on January 20, tied to a new Canberra-Singapore service.

Wellington Airport, the Wellington City Council and Singapore Airlines all declined to confirm the new route on Tuesday, after news broke across the Tasman.

"I'm aware of the media reports but at this stage its speculation and there's nothing new to say," Wellington deputy mayor Justin Lester said.

READ MORE: Wellington Airport's runway extension could pump $2b into the economy

"We are regularly talking to airlines. We are interested in improving connectivity to Wellington and would welcome any future initiative, should it eventuate."

The wide-body aircraft is expected to fly to Wellington four times a week, adding more than 1000 seats a week across the Tasman and on to Asia.

It will be the first direct scheduled service between Canberra and any New Zealand city, with the Australian capital's residents currently required to travel to Sydney or Melbourne to cross the Tasman.

This raises the prospect that Aucklanders wanting to travel to Canberra may start choosing to fly via Wellington, rather than transferring from the international to domestic terminals in Sydney.

Direct flights would also open up an attractive new tourism market. With a population of less than 400,000, Canberra is much smaller than Sydney and Melbourne, but its residents are the best paid in Australia

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the average earnings in ACT in May 2015 were A$88,764 (NZ$94,462) a year, A$11,000 more than the national average.

The new route is likely to bolster supporters of a plan to extend Wellington Airport's runway, as a sign of international demand to land in the capital.

Shareholders in the airport, Infratil and the Wellington City Council, have indicated that the $300 million project to extend the runway by 354 metres would need cash from central government for it to go ahead.

Air New Zealand, which has a code-sharing agreement with Singapore Airlines, is expected to support the new route, but opposes the extension of the airport.

The Board of Airline Representatives New Zealand, which represents 21 airlines that operate in this country, including Singapore Airlines, has also expressed concerns about the viability of extending Wellington Airport's runway.

Executive director John Beckett said the fact that flying an Airbus A330 into and out of Wellington was being talked about showed other international routes were possible, without the expense of extending the runway.

Aviation commentator Peter Clark said some would see the move as proof that airlines were interested in flying long-haul to Wellington should the runway be extended, but it was worth keeping things in perspective.

"This is still only a trans-tasman flight," he said. "I  don't think we'll be seeing a rush of airlines into Wellington."

It would be interesting to see what incentives Wellington Airport had offered Singapore Airlines, and how high ticket prices would have to be to justify the route.

FIVE REASONS TO VISIT CANBERRA

1. The Australian War Memorial: It chronicles the involvement of Australia's troops in war, from the colonial period to the present. Ranked second on Trip Advisor's 2015 Top 10 Australian landmarks.

2. Parliament House: See Australian democracy in action, or simply check on who the latest prime minister is.

3. Art galleries: Dotted across the city, including the National Gallery of Australia and the National Portrait Gallery.

4. The Deep Space Communication Complex:  The nearby Tidbinbilla valley is dominated by giant antenna dishes that communicate with spacecraft exploring planets hundreds of millions of kilometres away.

5. Foliage: Canberra is home to the National Arboretum, devoted to growing trees for conservation, scientific research and educational purposes. It features 48,000 trees.

 - Stuff

HAMISH RUTHERFORD AND MICHAEL FORBES

Last updated 20:50, January 12 2016

AirAsia confirms Auckland to Gold Coast route

AirAsia has confirmed it is returning to New Zealand with daily flights from Auckland to the Gold Coast with introductory $99 one way flights. AirAsia X, the medium and long-haul operation of the AirAsia brand, will fly Kuala Lumpur to Auckland via the Gold Coast using an A330-300 with the first flight taking off from Auckland on March 22.

It is also offering limited one way flights from Auckland to Kuala Lumpur via the Gold Coast in Queensland for $249 for travel between March 22 and February 5, 2017.

Tickets go on sale at 5am Wednesday until January 24 or until sold out.

The low cost carrier last launched scheduled services to New Zealand in April 2011 with four-times weekly flights from Kuala Lumpur to Christchurch, but withdrew in May 2012 to focus on Asia and Australia.

READ MORE: AirAsia resuming flights to New Zealand

AirAsia X chief executive Benyamin Ismail used his Twitter account to hint at the airline's New Zealand route last week.

There are already up to 21 flights per week between Auckland and the Gold Coast with Air New Zealand, Jetstar and Virgin Australia all servicing the route.

Air New Zealand flies an A320 up to six times a week with flights in late March starting at $656 return for seat plus bag but no meal.

Jetstar also flies an A320 up to eight times weekly with late March return flights starting at $565 for seat plus bag and meal.

Virgin Australia flies a Boeing 737 daily with return flights in late March starting at $626 for seat plus bag and meal.

Malaysia Airlines is the only other carrier with flights from Malaysia to New Zealand operating a daily nonstop service from Auckland to Kuala Lumpur using an A333.

A return flight from Auckland to Kuala Lumpur starts from $1365 including taxes.

AirAsia's A330-300 have capacity of 377 passengers and a configuration of 365 economy seats and 12 premium flatbed seats.

The aircraft also features a "quiet zone" product reserved for passengers aged 12 and older.

The flatbed seats would also be on sale from $299 one-way to Gold Coast or $599 to Kuala Lumpur.

Flight Centre product general manager Sean Berenson said the Gold Coast was one of the most popular destinations for New Zealand holiday makers.

"It is by far the most popular holiday spot for a Kiwi traveller so they've chosen a good route," Berenson said.

AirAsia would attract a wide variety of travellers, he said.

The number of passengers which continued beyond the Gold Coast onto Kuala Lumpur would depend on how good AirAsia's connections were, he said.

The AirAsia brand started in 2001 and now flies to more than 100 destinations.

Berenson said AirAsia X offered a Kuala Lumpur to London service which could prove popular for Kiwi travellers.

If the new Auckland service worked well for AirAsia it may look to launch routes from other cities in New Zealand, he said.

House of Travel commercial director Brent Thomas said the number of New Zealanders travelling to Queensland was expected to grow.

AirAsia would also be a big player for inbound tourism to New Zealand, he said.

 - Stuff

JOHN ANTHONY

Last updated 17:58, January 12 2016