What Auckland Airport travellers want; integrated domestic terminal ...

A survey commissioned by Auckland Airport shows strong backing for its upgrade with programme work for its new integrated terminal 20 per cent complete and 35 per cent underway.

While airlines remain concerned about the $3.9 billion total cost of the project, with Air New Zealand proposing a cheaper alternative, the airport says 600 people are now working on it a day.

The integrated domestic terminal is being built on the southeastern side of the existing international building and will replace the no longer fit-for-purpose 60-year-old facility. The five-year build is due for completion in 2028-29.

A Kantar survey of 600 travellers done for the airport found three-quarters wanted development there.

Nine in 10 travellers wanted increased capacity to allow for more flights and potentially more airfare competition; 89 per cent wanted more space and modern seating areas; 88 per cent wanted better baggage handling systems; 87 per cent wanted faster processing and shorter queues; and 81 per cent wanted a short, indoor walk between domestic and international.

The study, carried out at the domestic terminal, involved travellers from across New Zealand and asked people about the current experience at Auckland Airport and what improvements they’d like to see.

The travellers, who on average had taken two international flights and four domestic flights from Auckland Airport in the previous 12 months, generally had positive experiences at the airport but more than 76 per cent said development was necessary.

The number jumped to 81 per cent support for investment to future-proof the airport against weather events.

The airport has said that more domestic capacity at the new terminal will allow more flights to operate at peak times. The survey found 90 per cent of travellers supported building more airline capacity to keep fares in check

“Not only did travellers back development at Auckland Airport, what they really cared about was smoother journeys – quick indoor walks from domestic to international travel, easy check through of bags from local to international flights, and faster processing and shorter queues,” chief customer officer Scott Tasker said.

“Construction still has a long way to go, but we’ve now completed the first major step in the terminal integration programme, an enormously complex component of the build involving a three-storey extension of the terminal structure by 95m to the east.

“The shell of the major structure that will glue together the existing international terminal to the new domestic jet terminal and includes the new footprint for everything from airline lounges; to the new domestic jet to international indoor connection; and the new baggage system.

“We are currently creating the platform for the piles for the new domestic jet terminal, which are being fabricated for installation shortly, along with continuing significant upgrades to the utilities and airfield that will support the airport for the next 30 years of travel,” Tasker said.

When asked about future improvements, the vast majority of travellers favoured Auckland Airport working to get the basics right, and making travel more seamless.

The Auckland Airport results reflect findings from other recent international traveller surveys - by Airport Dimensions - showing travellers’ high expectations for the airport basics, including 83 per cent of travellers wanting better seating and 79 per cent wanting to see less queueing.

“Our current domestic terminal no longer has the capacity to manage more flights at peak times. For travellers that means tickets are harder to come by – and more expensive – when flying at popular times.

“We are addressing that with the new domestic jet terminal, which has 26 per cent additional capacity created by aircraft gates that can manage both widebody and narrowbody jet aircraft, with a further 10 per cent seat capacity available with dedicated domestic bus lounges.

“That flexibility allows for more flights, or airlines, through the daily peaks and the ability to add larger aircraft to accommodate the mass movement of people, whether that’s during holiday periods or when there’s a popular event such as a concert or sporting fixture.”

The Commerce Commission is about to release a paper on the airport’s aeronautical pricing for the current five-year period.

Tasker said keeping travel “affordable” is a key goal of the infrastructure programme, with a pathway to an average of $25 per domestic jet passenger during the next five-year pricing period (2028-2032).

Airlines say charges could be nearly double that.

Tasker said new infrastructure came at a cost.

“We are very conscious [it] needs to deliver value and real benefit to travellers, particularly at a time when the public are really feeling the pinch associated with the rising cost of basics.

“Major airlines have backed terminal integration since 2014, telling us to keep going with our plan and supporting the project until recently. We advanced this project for many years with their backing.“

But Air New Zealand says the costs have ballooned in the meantime. It says the cost of the airport’s 10-year plan in 2017was $5.3 billion, including $1.7 billion to build a second runway.

‘‘In 2023, its plan to 2032 is to spend $6.6 billion - without a second runway. It’s one thing to say we support a project but when the cost blows out it’s understandable airlines would want to see plans change to make sure they are affordable,’' said a spokesman.

The airport’s Kantar survey was conducted during the last week in April and first week in May.

Grant Bradley has been working at the Herald since 1993. He is the Business Herald’s deputy editor and covers aviation and tourism.