People of ZQN: Introducing Chris Walker
You may have spotted Chris around the terminal — at nearly two metres tall, he’s hard to miss. Over the past nine years, he has built a career at Queenstown Airport that has evolved from hands-on operational roles to leading major projects. “Fresh off the boat” from the UK as a graduate with a BSc in Conservation Biology, he set out to see the world and landed in Queenstown to spend a season rowing with the Whakatipu Rowing Club.
Within months, Chris was captivated by Queenstown’s remarkable landscape, energy, and outdoor lifestyle. It soon became clear this was more than just a stop on his travels — it was a place to call home. In fact, it was building his first house here that sparked an unexpected interest in project management, ultimately leading him to move from Duty Manager to Project Manager at QAC.
Since then, Chris has led several high-profile airport projects, including the expansion of the domestic departures area, the construction of the Provenance courtyard, the installation of automatic bag drop (ABD) technology, and the creation of Skippers, a casual bar & eatery located in the international departures lounge.
Among these, the ABD and Skippers developments stand out as highlights due to their impact on both the airport environment and customer experience.
Speaking about the ABDs, he said, “Years of queue management for the team and I were overturned in an instant - seeing them vanish overnight was a game-changer.”
Chris thrives on collaboration and believes the key to successful delivery lies in uniting diverse stakeholders around a shared goal.
He’s currently leading upgrades to Queenstown Airport’s baggage handling systems, check-in facilities, utilities resilience, and wayfinding - continuing his commitment to enhancing the airport experience for everyone who travels through ZQN.
