Auckland Airport ceo Carrie Hurihanganui says the typical time taken to get through arrivals at the international terminal is now around 15 minutes.
The median time has come down for passengers with nothing to declare as more space has been allocated to MPI and Customs express lanes as part of the terminal revamp, she adds. “The facility is raising the bar but the other part is the speed through arrivals. I’m sure that could be different in peak times but that’s the median.’’ The 15-minute mark is nearly 50% faster than what it was two years ago. New scanning equipment at AKL has made international departures quicker, now typically five minutes and 29 seconds through immigration and security, which is 19% faster than a year ago.
. . . Sharing The Word
As part of the multi-billion dollar capital program AKL has invested in the existing baggage system in the international terminal, ahead of a much bigger system when it is linked to the new integrated domestic jet terminal, due to open in 2029. Much of the behind the scenes enabling work had been done and that would carry on into next year. Passengers would then start to see more construction in the terminal itself. The check-in hall would be rebuilt zone by zone so as not to cause too much disruption. “The sequencing is incredibly important as is communication and managing expectations.” The airport will start talking about what’s happening in the check-in zone months in advance to reach travellers and to get it front of mind. Hurihanganui also says the lounge rebuilding by Air New Zealand and Qantas is an encouraging sign of the airlines’ commitment to AKL, which would help facilitate the work. It was important that renovations did not disrupt tenants below them, she says.
. . . Flat Pax Growth
AKL yesterday reported its annual result which reflected sluggish international passenger growth, a weak domestic economy and engine problems for NZ. There are now 1.5 million fewer seats flying per year in the domestic network than in 2019, equivalent to 29,000 fewer seats per week with the regions bearing the brunt of this. Domestic passenger movements fell by 0.5% to 8.4 million, but international passenger movements, including transits, increased 2.5%to 10.3 million. Underlying profit increased by 12% to $310.4m.Reported revenue rose by 12% to just over $1b. Aeronautical income increased by 15% to $449.1m and non-aeronautical revenue, including retail, hotels and property, rose by 8% to $464.9m. The new transport hub had helped boost car park revenue by 9% to $72m.
. . . The AKL Outlook
For the remainder of the year, Hurihanganui says AKL’s aeronautical and commercial activity is expected to be resilient, but that uncertainty remained around seat capacity and the subdued local economy. China Eastern’s Shanghai- AKL-Buenos Aires service starting in summer is the major new route for AKL although it continues to work with other airlines to encourage new services.
