New Zealand Airports Association asks that candidates for this year’s local body elections remember their local airport is vital for economic growth in their region.

Association Chief Executive Kevin Ward says, “Airports are important for local communities, connecting New Zealanders and local businesses to the rest of the country and to the world. They provide essential services to local businesses and industries, tourism, special events and the health sector. Airports are also a major lifeline for disaster recovery and emergency services.”

In recent years, airports in New Zealand and around the world have been challenged by the expansion of urban fringes, passenger growth and new aviation technologies, funding of major investments in new and expanded infrastructure and the need for integration with wider transport and economic planning.

“In next month’s local body elections, we need candidates to recognise airports and their role in the communities they serve,” says Mr Ward.

Mr Ward suggests three simple areas of focus for new and aspiring council and mayoral candidates:

• Airports' needs are growing: safety requirements, technological changes, passenger volume growth and larger aircraft can all require more operational and terminal space in the long term
• Airport planning needs long term vision: they are critical infrastructure that must remain safe and reliable, be protected from encroachment by incompatible land uses and be included in local and regional transport plans
• Airports drive tourism and travel: airports work with airlines and tourism operators to grow new routes and services that boost tourism and travel for their region

“We need to ensure that New Zealand’s airports can continue to provide these vital services to our regions to help support growth and social linkages,” says Mr Ward.

“Their real contribution is more significant to their communities than the direct returns of airports as individual businesses. Constraints on air services would be a major drawback for the community.”

The Association challenges media and voters to ask every candidate what they will do to support their local airport and its users.