Auckland, Palmerston North And Wellington Scoop Airport Awards
Wellington Airport was a double winner at this year’s New Zealand Airports Association Awards, claiming both the
Community Engagement and Airline/Airport Collaboration prizes, while Auckland Airport won the Infrastructure Project
Award and Palmerston North Airport earned the Commercial Project Award.
Sponsored by Beca Airports, the awards were presented at a Mexican-themed event at Wellington’s The Boatshed on Thursday
September 28, before an audience of over 100 representatives from throughout New Zealand’s aviation sector.
NZ Airports chief executive Kevin Ward, who also convened the awards judging panel, paid tribute to the high quality of
entries across all categories this year.
“We are pleased to recognise the exceptional work of our airport members each year. The awards are an important
opportunity to showcase not just the highly-visible work that airports do, but also the way they work with their
communities and their airline customers.
“Some of that work can be away from the public eye, but it is essential to keep up with recent exceptional growth, the
changing nature of aviation and the relationships that airports build with their communities.”
Airline/Airport Collaboration Award – Wellington Airport Quieter Homes Programme
Awards judges praised the way that Wellington Airport and its customer airlines worked in partnership to deliver a noise
management plan for almost 700 home owners close to the airport.
The judges considered the Quieter Homes Programme to be the result of true airport and airline collaboration, with
Wellington Airport, Air New Zealand and BARNZ (the association representing the remaining airlines) working together
over the better part of a decade, noted Mr Ward.
“Throughout each stage of the process the parties have worked toward the common goal of reducing the impact of aircraft
noise on the community, acknowledging the collective benefits of positive community relationships while preserving
airport operations,” he said.
Community Engagement Award – Wellington Airport Regional Community Awards
The judges were highly impressed with the Airport’s recognition of volunteer and community groups, and the wide span of
nominations, from arts and culture to education, health and the environment.
The winning programme was also found to be genuinely regional, partnering with the Wellington Community Trust and five
city councils. The judging panel had no doubt the community awards had depth as well as regional coverage, with 30
community group winners at the local level progressing to the award finals hosted by Wellington Airport.
Mr Ward said the judges particularly commended the encouragement of enduring relationships with the volunteer groups and
community leaders.
Infrastructure Project Award – Auckland Airport International Remote Stands
Judges complimented the airport and the wide range of companies involved in the project on successfully delivering a
fast track project that was both large and complex. The project delivered aircraft parking capacity, a taxiway and
in-ground infrastructure including fuel lines.
No less than nine construction stages were required in order to tie-in the works with efforts from Airways NZ, Auckland
Airport operations, Beca project managers, the contractor Brian Perry Ltd and subcontractors.
Mr Ward said this was a remarkable operational planning and co-ordination achievement, undertaken at the most difficult
time of year for construction and delivering essential capacity at a time of high growth.
Commercial Project Award – Palmerston North Airport Arrivals Hall Development
Judges congratulated the airport on its successful repurposing of space in the terminal to provide a wide range of
benefits – both to travellers and the commercial tenants of the terminal – while incorporating themes from local Maori
legend and placing the development in the context of a wider property plan.
The airport’s reuse of materials such as ceiling tiles, and reconfiguration of ventilation systems, also showed
attention to detail and cost-effectiveness.
Mr Ward said the airport’s commercial tenants, such as rental car companies and the Air New Zealand regional lounge,
will clearly benefit from the modern functional premises provided by the airport.
“The judges considered this an excellent example of thoughtful, well-rounded, airport development which will serve the
region and the commercial entities on the airport for many years.”
Quality of Entries
Mr Ward expressed NZ Airports’ appreciation for Beca Airports’ generous sponsorship of the awards, noting its
“continuing long association with this special event on the airport calendar”.
Beca South Island Infrastructure business director Richard Holyoake, who made the awards presentations, added: “It is a
real privilege to showcase the achievements of these project teams, often working within challenging constraints to
deliver for airport customers and communities. Once again the awards highlight the results that can be achieved working
collaboratively toward common goals.”
The awards were a highlight of the NZ Airports Conference, held at the Hotel Intercontinental from Wednesday 27-29
September.
Featuring about 30 quality speakers on a diverse range of subjects reflecting strategic themes for the sector, the event
continues to be the key learning and networking opportunity for the airport sector nationally, said Mr Ward.
“About 150 delegates and exhibitors attended this year’s conference – which we believe is a new record – and their
feedback has been fantastic,” he said.
ends