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NEW FLEET FOR AIRPORT

Thursday 1 November 2012, 11:30PM

By NP Linked Taranaki

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TARANAKI

Developing News: First it was a tarmac runway now it is too the fleet, Air New Zealand has told the New Plymouth council of plans for a bigger plane to land in New Plymouth.

The new plane to enter New Plymouth is that of the ATR - 72 which would make flights to and from Auckland to New Plymouth.

The ATR - 72 which holds 74 passengers not including crew compared to the current New Plymouth fleet at Air New Zealand is a 'small diffrence'.

There is two planes which currently fly to New Plymouth Airport those being Air New Zealand's Bombardier Q300 and the Beechcraft 1900D.

The Q300 can hold up to 50 passengers and the Beechcraft can hold up the 19 passengers.

The ATR - 72 will arrive in New Plymouth at the airport in December or as late as January 2013.

Early last year The New Plymouth Council allowed plans to go ahead for a bigger carpark area but now the question is asked 'Can New Plymouth Airport become a international airport'? 

The awnser is plan and simple, Yes. New Plymouth could become international but New Plymouth's population would have to see a rise and the airport's runway which is 1310 meters long would have to be longer.

 

NUMBERS ARENT THE PROBLEM REALLY

In 2011, 300960 passengers alone used the airport, six airports over New Zealand ly internationally Auckland,Christchurch,Wellington,Dunedin,Queenstown and Rotorua. New Plymouth Airport is New Zealands 11th busiest airports with just under 40,000 aircraft movements in 2011.

New Plymouth Airport is only just behind Queenstown in busyness. 

Queenstown Airport travels to Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington, Rotorua, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane with Jet Star, Air New Zealand, Vergin Australia and Qantas while New Plymouth flys to Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington with Air New Zealand but make many flights a day.

 

GOING BACK

The first operational aerodrome in Taranaki was made in Bell Block and was officially launched in 1933 with five grass landing strips 5000ft long. New Plymouth Airport which stands today was built in 1966.

New Plymouth Airport used to operate flights to Hamilton and Palmerston North, these flights ended in 2005 for no reason and this reason is unknown to New Plymouth residents. 

 

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