Kāpiti Coast District Council to consider funding private airline
Air NZ 's last flight left paraparaumu Airport in April.
Kāpiti Coast District Council is going behind closed doors to consider subsidising a private airline.
Air Chathams has been in negotiations with Kāpiti Coast Airport since April when Air New Zealand axed its service between Paraparaumu and Auckland.
Kāpiti Mayor K Gurunathan said a $50,000 contribution to marketing could be a part of the deal, which would match a contribution from Air New Zealand.
The airport terminal at Paraparaumu.
He would not say what other financial help was being considered but a decision would be made on Thursday at the public-excluded meeting.
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"The support would be to get them up and running then it would be up to them to prove it's viable," he said.
"Council has to play its part because, although the airport is privately owned, we all see it as our airport."
Gurunathan said he did not expect the process to be smooth sailing, but was confident most Kāpiti residents would support the proposal.
"We're trying to work it so it doesn't impact on ratepayers, some of it is budget we already have."
A Colmar Brunton survey released on Friday showed 91 per cent of Kāpiti people supported re-establishing the service.
"What that tells you is the council has a strong mandate to ensure the continuation of the airport for the community."
When asked if it would be unusual for the council to fund a privately owned business, Gurunathan said: "Its a question of whether you're funding your community to have an asset like this, so I would prefer to see it that way"
Last week, airport owners Todd Property Group said they had made "considerable efforts" to assist Air Chathams.
Managing director Evan Davies said this included a free premises lease for the first year, followed by a 33 per cent discount on the lease previously paid by Air New Zealand for either another two years or the period Air Chathams is building up its Kāpiti-Auckland service.
"We have also offered significant discounts on other operating charges to support the successful startup of a new service."
- Stuff
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