Today, Queenstown Airport Corporation (QAC) is releasing its 10-year Strategic Plan. QAC Board Chair, Adrienne Young-Cooper said: “Queenstown Airport and the company’s related assets are majority owned by Queenstown Lakes District Council. In developing the strategic direction for the next decade we’ve reflected on the company’s essential role in contributing to Aotearoa New Zealand’s air transport services, and the wellbeing of local and regional communities now and into the future.”
“We believe that Queenstown Airport is well positioned to support the recovery of the local economy with excellent domestic and trans-Tasman links which support businesses in the Southern Lakes region and connect the local community with New Zealand and the world," she said.
“As we move into recovery, it’s timely to think deeply about the future of aviation, the associated challenges and opportunities and plan for an airport that is future-ready and continues to contribute to the social and economic wellbeing of the district over the long-term. Sharing our strategic direction with the communities of the region is an important milestone before we embark on consultation on our draft Master Plan with our key stakeholders including the community.
“QAC committed to the development of this 10-year Strategic Plan in its FY22 Statement of Intent and to have regard to feedback from Council prior to finalising the plan,” Mrs Young-Cooper said.
CEO Glen Sowry said: “Recently the QAC team created a new vision and mission with our aspirations for the future in mind. Our mission is to Proudly connect our home with New Zealand and the world. Our vision is to be An innovative airport that people love to travel through, and the community takes pride in.
“This vision and mission has served us well as we’ve developed our strategy. We have taken the opportunity to meet with a wide range of stakeholders across the airport campus and wider region. Three pillars have emerged in our Strategic Plan: Resilience, Experience and Community. Everything that we will achieve and the contributions we will make are encapsulated within these pillars.
“We have carefully considered the insights gathered through our engagement over the last year and sought to achieve the right balance between economic and social benefits to the region alongside environmental priorities.
“One of the key decisions we have taken is to plan for moderate and sustainable growth and not to seek an expansion to the existing Queenstown Airport noise boundaries.
“This represents a shift in our strategy and considers community feedback as well as our company’s sustainability strategy. Advances in aircraft technology, including Air New Zealand’s introduction of NEO (New Engine Option) powered A320 and A321 aircraft means quieter planes flying into ZQN which is a positive development for the community and the potential to manage growth in the years ahead within our noise boundaries,” Mr Sowry said.
Mrs Young Cooper said: “In the coming year as we prepare our long-term master plan and implement our decarbonisation roadmap, we have a collective opportunity and responsibility to plan for an airport for the future that serves the region well.
“An airport master plan is a holistic technical document that presents a long-term view. During the process we will consult with the communities of the region, as well as the Civil Aviation Authority, Airways, our scheduled airline customers, and non-scheduled aviation operators, our commercial tenants and the business community. We will also consider and satisfy important safety obligations, both aviation and seismic, and meet regulatory compliance obligations.
“The QAC board and management team recognise the significant opportunity we have to shape the future of our airport in partnership with our shareholders and the people of the region and to become an innovative airport that people love to travel through, and the community takes pride in,” Mrs Young-Cooper said.