In December 2018 Invercargill Airport Limited and Air New Zealand announced the introduction of a direct jet service between Invercargill and Auckland. The flight will be the longest direct flight in New Zealand with a travel time of 2 hours, and will open up exciting opportunities for business and recreational travellers into and out of the Southland province. Not only will this service open Southland to the World, but also the World to Southland.
To make this a reality some changes need to be made to the airport, and to how passengers check in and board their flight. These changes will occur over the next 3 months in preparation for the first flight on the 25th August 2019. We have called this the ‘Jet Project’.
The ‘Jet Project’
In order for an Air New Zealand A320 Jet to safely land, stand and depart the Invercargill Airport with passengers, several things have to happen:
- Aircraft Parking
We need to provide a hardstand area capable of taking a much larger aircraft than what currently lands at our airport. The layout of the ‘apron’, the line markings and the aeroplane parking will be upgraded to support this new aircraft.
- New baggage screening area
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) requires that any aircraft with more than 90 seats must have baggage screening at check in. A purpose-built baggage screening facility will be built adjacent to the current Air New Zealand Check In area. This will allow bags to be x-rayed, searched if required, and loaded onto the aircraft.
- Secure Passenger Departure Lounge
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) requires that passengers and hand luggage on any aircraft with more than 90 seats must be security screened prior to departure. The Terminal’s current meeting and training rooms will be converted into the new screening area and a secure departure lounge.
What to expect during construction?
There should be minimal disruption to the public using the terminal during the construction phase. Hoardings will separate the public from any construction areas. You will still be able to access all areas of the airport terminal as normal, however we will no longer have the meeting rooms available for bookings. Access to the Air New Zealand Regional Lounge and the Invercargill Airport Office will remain the same.
For more information go to Invercargill Airport Jet Project
