A regional aviation fund
After an extensive review of global regional and remote aviation assistance schemes, we believe that the model most applicable to New Zealand is a grant scheme available to isolated communities.
An isolated communities aviation fund would comprise two elements:
- a national airport infrastructure fund applicable to any eligible airport to ensure it continued to meet a national set of minimum standards;
- an underwriting scheme for air services to eligible airports.
Together these two elements would ensure our smaller airports remain open and viable. They would ensure that aerodromes around the country are accessible to civil emergency services.
They would ensure that our smaller communities continue to get their sick to larger hospitals, their kids to universities, and their business people and visitors to and from larger cities.
The national fund could be established through a reallocation of existing revenues. We as an industry are not seeking additional money.
Crown investments in Christchurch and other airports provide significant returns, which should be added to existing joint venture airport funding. The fund should be self sustainable for at least 20 years
