ZQNnewsISSUE 29

DECEMBER 2016An update from Queenstown Airport Corporation

Record breaking year at Queenstown AirportIt’s safe to say we’ve had a full year at Queenstown Airport in so many ways.

Record breaking passenger numbers, new services and investment in infrastructure set us up for a year of growth and expansion, paving the way for even more opportunities in 2017.

The much-anticipated addition of after-dark flights in May and June supported the increase of passenger numbers across all months and an all-time high in August of 1.7 million passengers for the previous 12 month period.

This was a large project undertaken over many years and with many hands involved. On behalf of the team, I’d like to thank everyone for their contribution to a project that is a turning point in the airport’s history.

We also recently undertook major car parking expansion works adding approximately 50 spaces – an increase of over 10% - to assist with demand for car parking during the busy summer months and beyond.

As a prelude to the next stage of work planned to improve vehicle flow throughout the airport, expansion of the commercial zone also took place with commercial pick up and drop off now available in this area. Many thanks to the entire airport community for their patience during this period of change.

After a hiatus on construction work from 15 December – 15 January, works will commence again in late January to establish a new roundabout at the entrance, relocate the coach parks to Chris Read Green and add a dual lane to part of the access road. Ultimately this will enable us to reinstate the public drop off lane directly outside the

Colin KeelChief Executive

terminal, something we know is of great interest to our visitors.

The year ahead looks bright and we’re looking forward to engaging with you on the 30-year master plan for Queenstown Airport. The master plan will guide and shape our airport and the communities we serve well into the future.

I’d like to wish you and your families a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Please stay safe wherever you spend the holiday season. For those of you working during the holidays, thanks for ensuring we continue to create wonderful memories for those visiting us in Queenstown and the region.

All the very best,

Spring passenger numbers

439,941

122,629International passenger numbers 23%

317,312Domestic passenger numbers 18%

Total passenger numbers 19%

*Sep, Oct and Nov compared to 2015

ZQNnews ISSUE 29 / DECEMBER 2016

Wave a paw goodbye to Bruce & Archie

The commencing of evening flights into Queenstown means our safety team have new potential issues to be aware of. Once such issue is New Year’s Eve and celebration fireworks. We’re asking residents to avoid letting off fireworks in or on Frankton Beach and Shotover Country when there are flights about. They can be a distraction to pilots when taking off or on final approach.

Want to know when flights are taking off or landing?

Then check out our website:

www.queenstownairport.co.nz

Two of Avsec’s Explosive Detector Dogs (EDD), Bruce (age 8) and Archie (age 9), wave a paw goodbye to a star-studded airport career this month.

Bruce and Archie are the granddaddies of Avsec Queenstown and will be sorely missed. Though following a large influx of eager new owners, both dogs have already found ‘furever’ homes with families within the Queenstown Airport community.

Sergeant Bryn Thomas has been an Avsec dog handler for 11 years and came to Queenstown Airport with Bruce in July last year to set up QAC’s dog unit. Some of Bruce’s career highlights have been the 2011 Rugby World Cup, and working in Auckland, Wellington and Queenstown Airports.

Bruce was also a key player in a recent bomb scare at the airport and was charged with searching the terminal and landside areas. Archie arrived in Queenstown in August 2015 with his handler Andy Buchanan.

Bruce, Archie and the other EDD dogs are different from Customs and MPI dogs. Their job is to sniff for explosives and explosive materials, not drugs or food. They stay with their handlers at home each night unlike the other dogs who stay in sanitized lodgings to ensure their senses stay clean.

The Queenstown Avsec Explosive Detector Dog Unit runs a puppy development program with potential EDD dogs homed with local foster owners until around one year old. They are brought into the airport to socialise and get used to airport smells, noise and environment. Once a dog is identified as suitable, the dogs then attend a 10 week training course which begins at the New Zealand Police Dog Training Centre in Trentham, Wellington.

After a successful career, dogs are retired anywhere between five and nine years depending on the dog. Queenstown Airport has gone from zero to five dogs in just one year and this has really changed the way

Avsec operates here. Our dog teams are mobile, quick and the most reliable and cost-effective way of detecting explosives.

“These dogs are super smart and always working. After a period of time they become so intuitive and almost work on auto pilot. Our dogs love to come to work because the airport is where they have fun. For the dog, work means “I get to play with my toy” and the more they play with their toy the more they love coming to work. It’s not unusual to hear the dogs as they arrive at work, often they will bark with excitement,” said Bryn.

Bryn has already taken on a new side-kick, a two year old long haired Border Collie called Kane and Andy has Toby, a German Short Haired Pointer/Labrador who is a dog from the Puppy Development programme. Both dogs are eager-to-learn and play their part in the security of ZQN.

“I’d like to thank members of the airport community for their support with the Puppy Program, including the two foster families with parents that work at Queenstown Airport. Without their help we couldn’t develop and train the next generation of EDD who are essential to the running of our airports.”

Fireworks and New Year’s Eve Celebrations

Left: Andy Buchanan and Archie. Right: Bryn Thomas and Bruce

More than 200 people from the airport community attended events as part of Airport Safety Week held 17 - 21 October across Australia and New Zealand.

This was the first time Queenstown has taken part and it was a huge success. From the launch breakfast, to FOD walks, anti-fatigue workshops, incident re-enactments on the apron and airside tours for landside-based teams, there was something for everyone.

The week culminated in the launch of QAC’s new Health & Safety policy unveiled by Colin Keel and Operations and Safety General Manager Mike Clay.

Our vision is to achieve Zero Harm to those who visit and work within our airport community, including employees, contractors and visitors.

The new policy is focused on developing a positive and collaborative Health and Safety culture. A culture that is committed to playing a leadership role in promoting Health and Safety across the airport and recognised as a benchmark for Health and Safety excellence. An important part in achieving Zero Harm is ensuring that all our managers, employees and contractors clearly understand their responsibilities for Health and Safety.

Copies of the policy have been distributed to all agencies and departments, but if you’d like additional copies please ask Chris Johnson or Dan Parsons.

Air New Zealand has unveiled its sleek new Koru lounge boasting sweeping views across the tarmac and out to Queenstown’s stunning Remarkables mountain range.

This is the first stage of a two-part redesign which is set for completion in March next year. The existing adjacent lounge space has now closed to enable the second stage of refurbishment to get underway.

When finished, the lounge will offer five different spaces where customers can relax and refresh or plug in and get some work done before their flight and will accommodate 233 guests, which is almost double the capacity of the previous lounge.

Air New Zealand Chief Marketing and Customer Officer Mike Tod said the opening was an important milestone in the airline’s wider lounge redevelopment programme that will see the launch of a number of new and refurbished lounges over the next two years.

“We have been investing heavily in enhancing our customer experience. Airports are a key part of the customer journey and 18 months ago we embarked on a $100 million programme to redevelop a number of our lounges at some of the busiest ports we fly to. It’s fantastic to be opening the first stage of our latest new-look lounge in Queenstown – a significant port on our domestic network and a major destination for tourism,” says Mr Tod.

When complete, a focal point of the new lounge will be a barista station where customers will be able to order coffee directly from their mobile device as soon as they enter the space.

Airport Safety Week

MATTERS! SAFETY

Due to regular vehicle movements in the commercial, rental car and flow roads, we’d like to remind all airport staff and contractors to please use the official walkways and pathways when moving around the airport. This ensures everyone’s safety as we go about our daily business.

Sleek new Koru Lounge

Queenstown Airport Corporation LimitedPO Box 2641, Queenstown 9349, New ZealandPhone: +64 3 450 9031www.queenstownairport.co.nz Keep up to date with ZQN news

@NZQNqueenstownairportqueenstownairport

Supporting local business

Wanaka Airport upgradesThe new grass runway at Wanaka Airport is officially open and we’re getting great reports from the local pilots. The Heli Grass Training area has also had an upgrade with the ground being worked up and new grass sown. Once fully-operational in around a month, all helicopters coming out from the engineering workshops will be test flown here instead of adjacent to the hangars. This enables us to have three simultaneous operations at any given time. This sets Wanaka up as the perfect place for pilot training both fixed wing and helicopters.

Our Good SortWe’ve always known Wanaka Airport Operations Manager Ralph Fegan was a good sort but his tireless commitment to the local community was recognised nationwide last month on One News’ Good Sorts segment.

Ralph is a volunteer fire fighter, funeral and wedding celebrant and the go-to match maker for couples in Wanaka.

Thanks Ralph for being an all-round good guy.

On the fly – news in briefWaste not, want notBuilding alterations in the terminal have resulted in some carpet tiles becoming surplus to requirements and rather than seeing them go to land fill, QAC has found a happy home for the tiles. Queenstown Primary School were grateful to receive a trailer full of tiles in good condition for use in their classrooms.

A change is as good as a holidayTwo of our tenants, TravelPharm and NZ Premium, have swapped retail spaces to better suit their needs. TravelPharm is now located opposite Icebreaker and NZ Premium is near Airspresso.

As part of our sponsorship of the Outstanding in Professional Services Category at the Ignite Wanaka Business Awards, QAC Chief Executive Colin Keel and Wanaka Airport’s Ralph Fegan were on-hand to present the award to winners Eyes on Ardmore at a gala dinner at Rippon Hall.

Photo Credit: Jodie Rainsford Photography