By Bernard Hickey As a Wellingtonian, I would love a runway that permits direct flights to Asia and the US. It would save me schlepping up to Auckland and walking the gauntlet through the carparks to the international terminal. It could encourage more direct international tourism and boost demand for foreign education. And what I’dContinueContinue reading “NEWS: Longer Runway not Plane Sailing”
Author Archives: Benoit Pette
NEWS: Extending the runway: one truck every minute, for ten hours every day
by Lindsay Shelton The brutal reality of constructing a longer runway at Wellington Airport is revealed in one of the 27 reports that were published this week. It provides startling details of the number of trucks-with-trailers that will be needed to carry rocks through the city for the reclamation – one every minute, for tenContinueContinue reading “NEWS: Extending the runway: one truck every minute, for ten hours every day”
OPINION Dave Armstrong: Dave Armstrong: Project Runway wild gamble without an airline
Hallelujah! After growing opposition from surfers, Moa Point greenies and airline pilots, the airport runway extension is taking off thanks to the latest report commissioned by, wait for it, the airport. Did you know that for every dollar we invest in the runway extension we could get up to possibly maybe perhaps seven back? It’sContinueContinue reading “OPINION Dave Armstrong: Dave Armstrong: Project Runway wild gamble without an airline”
REBLOG Genius Net: No Public Funding For Runway White Elephant Please
The debate over whether or not public money should be invested in the extension of Wellington International Airport’s (WIAL) runway is starting to heat up. Despite project studies only being released to the public this week, city councils across the region have already indicated they will provide financial support towards the $330 million cost. AtContinueContinue reading “REBLOG Genius Net: No Public Funding For Runway White Elephant Please”
REBLOG Croaking Cassandra: What if they build it and no one comes?
A throwaway line of mine a couple of weeks ago about the Wellington City Council’s enthusiasm for the proposed airport runway extension prompted a couple of comments here from Tim Brown, chair of Wellington International Airport Limited (WIAL) – owned 66 per cent by Infratil and 34 per cent by the Wellington City Council. AsContinueContinue reading “REBLOG Croaking Cassandra: What if they build it and no one comes?”
SOME REAL FACTS ABOUT THE AIRPORT EXTENSION
This week, we hoped that TV One News would give us the chance to provide some counter to the big bunch of spin all over the Dom Post recently. That was unfortunately not the case. The pilots, airline association and Steven Joyce have now all come out with serious doubts and concerns following the airport’sContinueContinue reading “SOME REAL FACTS ABOUT THE AIRPORT EXTENSION”
REBLOG: Strathmore Park: Infratil getting testy over Wellington airport extension questions
Infratil are getting increasingly testy over the questions now being asked by many around the viability of the Wellington Airport Extension and the perception of a corporate handout. In an post on David Farrar’s Kiwiblog, they level their guns at David Lee and Cameron Slater of WhaleOil. In Sense from a Green Councillor, David Farrar questionsContinueContinue reading “REBLOG: Strathmore Park: Infratil getting testy over Wellington airport extension questions”
OPINION David Lee: Wellington runway extension or runaway costs?
OPINION: As Wellington International Airport Limited (WIAL) prepares to lodge its application for resource consent for a runway extension, it’s important Wellingtonians are aware of the full facts – because, if the scheme goes ahead, a vast amount of ratepayers’ money will be pouring into it. The plan has its supporters. Wellington City Council (WCC)ContinueContinue reading “OPINION David Lee: Wellington runway extension or runaway costs?”
NEWS: Wellington airport’s safety disputed in runway extension case
Safety at Wellington airport is in dispute with the director of Civil Aviation saying it is safe and the pilots’ union saying the risk of an overrun or undershoot is significant. The airport company wants to extend the length of the runway and Civil Aviation director Graeme Harris has accepted, for now at least, thatContinueContinue reading “NEWS: Wellington airport’s safety disputed in runway extension case”
NEWS: Pilots challenge safety zones for Wellington Airport’s proposed runway extension
The cost of Wellington Airport’s $300 million runway extension will double if the larger safety zones that pilots want are included in the design, a judge has been told. At the High Court in Wellington on Monday, the New Zealand Air Line Pilots’ Association – the union that represents pilots – argued the proposed extension should includeContinueContinue reading “NEWS: Pilots challenge safety zones for Wellington Airport’s proposed runway extension”
Guardians of the Bays 