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Billie Moore: Airports Association Chief Executive on Government releases first ever aviation plan · Early Edition with Ryan Bridge

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: Aviation New Zealand fee, Sorry Airways New Zealand fees. Getting
• 0:04
  Speaker 1: a look under the hood. This is part of the reason,
• 0:06
  Speaker 1: part of the reason why we pay more to fly
• 0:08
  Speaker 1: around the country. The Associate Transport Minister, James Mega says,
• 0:12
  Speaker 1: reviewing a bunch is reviewing a bunch of stuff. He's
• 0:15
  Speaker 1: released the Aviation Action Plan. Billy Moore is the Airport's
• 0:18
  Speaker 1: Association CEO with me this morning, Billy, good morning, good morning.
• 0:22
  Speaker 1: What did you make of the plan?
• 0:24
  Speaker 2: Look, we're really happy to see this plan come out.
• 0:28
  Speaker 2: It's hard to believe, but there's never really been a
• 0:31
  Speaker 2: government aviation plan or strategy before, so this is the
• 0:36
  Speaker 2: first time that something like this has come out where
• 0:38
  Speaker 2: government and industry have come together, set some objectives and
• 0:44
  Speaker 2: will get some Government effort's mobilized around the aviation sector.
• 0:49
  Speaker 2: Most of the effort and government policy is very much
• 0:51
  Speaker 2: in land transport. So we're really keen to make the
• 0:54
  Speaker 2: most of this opportunity.
• 0:56
  Speaker 1: How is it that we've had basically an outdated student
• 0:59
  Speaker 1: loan cap for people who want to be pilots, you know,
• 1:02
  Speaker 1: the loan doesn't cover the tuition fees.
• 1:05
  Speaker 2: Well, Look, it's been a big issue and something the
• 1:08
  Speaker 2: industry has been talking with government about for a long time.
• 1:12
  Speaker 2: We haven't got so far in this plan in terms
• 1:15
  Speaker 2: of getting a commitment to listing the loan cap, but
• 1:18
  Speaker 2: there is a commitment from the Ministry of Education to
• 1:20
  Speaker 2: work on the overall policy settings on pilot training. It
• 1:24
  Speaker 2: is going to be essential to sort something out there.
• 1:28
  Speaker 2: Pilot's going to be in huge demand globally as we
• 1:32
  Speaker 2: get more innovations in the aviation sector, including vertical take
• 1:36
  Speaker 2: off aircraft. We already have a shortage, so we've got
• 1:40
  Speaker 2: to get a move on in that space. So at
• 1:41
  Speaker 2: least we've got a commitment to a work program there.
• 1:44
  Speaker 1: I see a HARKA is getting an upgrade. It's going
• 1:46
  Speaker 1: to be the ultimate for wide body aircraft. What happens
• 1:49
  Speaker 1: with Auckland, Like if you're flying into Auckland and Auckland
• 1:52
  Speaker 1: Airport's out of action, where do you go to in
• 1:54
  Speaker 1: a big plane.
• 1:55
  Speaker 2: Look, it's different for different airlines, but the key thing
• 2:00
  Speaker 2: is airlines need the certainty that they've got options for
• 2:06
  Speaker 2: alternate lending. So it's really normal for them to have
• 2:08
  Speaker 2: an alternate nominated. But a HAKIA is a really important
• 2:12
  Speaker 2: one and we haven't had twey for seven options for
• 2:17
  Speaker 2: a hacker to be available to the airlines and situations
• 2:20
  Speaker 2: where there it's safe for weather or other issues, so
• 2:25
  Speaker 2: it helps a lot. Otherwise they need to carry more
• 2:28
  Speaker 2: fuel to go further south, say the christ Church.
• 2:31
  Speaker 1: Yes so because basically if you're coming into Auckland, Auckland's
• 2:33
  Speaker 1: out of action, there's nowhere you'd have to go, what
• 2:37
  Speaker 1: to the South Island.
• 2:38
  Speaker 2: Potentially sometimes to Wellington, but Wellington isn't always suitable, although
• 2:44
  Speaker 2: it will be soon when they've got their runway upgrades completed.
• 2:48
  Speaker 2: So it's about having more options. Just gives airlines greater
• 2:52
  Speaker 2: certainty and we could.
• 2:53
  Speaker 1: At least get to a high yet. But is that
• 2:55
  Speaker 1: weird because it's the biggest airport, it's where most people
• 2:58
  Speaker 1: fly into when the closest you can get is like
• 3:01
  Speaker 1: a five hour drive.
• 3:04
  Speaker 2: Yeah, look, Hamilton might be an option at some stage
• 3:07
  Speaker 2: as well. The more options and good infrastructure that we have,
• 3:11
  Speaker 2: the better. Really on this plan will also focus on
• 3:14
  Speaker 2: the future infrastructure requires requirements we need in the system,
• 3:18
  Speaker 2: including airspace and having a haker on that list and
• 3:22
  Speaker 2: the ability for that to be available for longer hours
• 3:28
  Speaker 2: for your line. It's going to be an important first step.
• 3:30
  Speaker 1: Yeah, Billy, appreciate your time this morning. Thank you. Billy
• 3:32
  Speaker 1: Moore in New Zealand Airports Association Chief Executive.
• 3:35
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• 3:38
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• 3:41
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