Airport Opening - Surprise Element

The official opening of the Queenstown Airport $31 million upgrade on Thursday will feature a real 'wow factor', Queenstown Airport Corporation chief executive Steve Sanderson said.

The public opening of the airport by the Prime Minister, the Right Honourable Helen Clark was very much a community affair, he said.

"The airport is owned by the community and the opening is very much a public opening. Being an airport we wanted to include something very special for the crowd and the Prime Minister," Mr Sanderson said.

The half hour opening would take place in the airport's courtyard area, commencing at 12.30.

"We are hoping that we will get a good community turn-out, certainly everyone is most welcome," Mr Sanderson said.

The Prime Minister would depart the airport by helicopter shortly after the opening, for Dunedin, accompanied by Queenstown 10-year-old Toby Dickson, who won a competition to fly with the Prime Minister.