One airport nearing capacity, the other underutilised.

Their future as a dual airport operation in a key New Zealand tourism hot spot is proving contentious.

The southern lakes district of New Zealand’s South Island is one of the country’s most visited for its arresting scenery, ambience and abundance of adventure activities, but its popularity has put the regions’ air services under increasing pressure. At the present rate of passenger growth Queenstown Airport could reach saturation point in five years or less if expansion plans aren’t implemented urgently.

Queenstown Airport Corporation (QAC) released a 30-year-plan for the airport in 2017, including an extension of its existing noise boundaries to accommodate future passenger growth.