Queenstown Airport has begun the construction of a new heavy taxiway as part of a NZ$65m (US$38m) airfield upgrade, marking the largest infrastructure investment program in the airport’s history.
Associate Minister of Transport and Minister for the South Island James Meager, Southland MP Joseph Mooney, Queenstown Lakes District Mayor John Glover and mana whenua representatives joined Queenstown Airport chair Simon Flood and chief executive Shane O’Hare, alongside project partners, at a ceremony marking the start of construction.
“Today, we’re not simply turning the first sod on a construction project,” O’Hare said. We’re marking the beginning of a new chapter in Queenstown Airport’s history and investing in infrastructure that will serve the region for decades to come.”
The heavy taxiway is the centerpiece of the airfield upgrade, which will also include a complete overlay of the main runway. “The taxiway is a key feature of our masterplan, but only part of a broader infrastructure investment program that will transform Queenstown Airport for the future,” O’Hare continued, adding that the airport also plans a major expansion and upgrade of its terminal, redevelopment of surrounding public areas, new baggage handling facilities and a new head office building.
Meager said the airfield enhancements reflect the confidence in the region’s future and the importance of transportation connections. “Queenstown Airport is a critical piece of infrastructure for Otago and the wider South Island, supporting tourism, trade, emergency response, and the movement of people and goods,” he stated. “This investment will strengthen the resilience and efficiency of the airfield, helping ensure the region remains safely and reliably connected as demand continues to grow.”
Queenstown Airport chief of aviation and customer Todd Grace said the taxiway will eliminate the need for heavy aircraft to backtrack along the runway before takeoff or after landing. “It is unusual for an airport with the volume of aircraft movements we handle to operate without a heavy taxiway,” Grace said. “This investment will enhance safety, improve operational efficiency, reduce aircraft delays both on the ground and in the air, lower aircraft fuel usage and protect our most valuable asset – the runway.”
Fulton Hogan has been appointed main contractor. The company’s chief executive, Ben Hayward, said the company has “a strong track record delivering complex airfield projects across New Zealand and Australia.”
Construction will run in day and night shifts, staged to keep the airport fully operational throughout. The perimeter fence on the airfield’s southern edge has been moved to allow the taxiway to be built outside the aviation security zone, and will be restored once complete. Work will begin at the Shotover end of the airfield, including night earthworks between the runway end and Hawthorne Drive. Fulton Hogan will also resurface the main runway – last overlaid in 2016 – over the summer.
In related news, Changi Airport completes construction of first satellite gate
