New Zealand is ready to go the distance
Routes content manager Richard Maslen spoke to Matthew Findlay, formerly of Christchurch International Airport, about his experiences in New Zealand, where geography means most international connections involve a long-haul flight.
W
ith majestic mountains and varied landscapes, coupled with captivating wildlife and the freshest foods straight from the fisherman’s net or farmers’ market, New Zealand features highly on many travellers’ bucket lists.
Brought to the fore by Hollywood hits such as The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, New Zealand is really several destinations in one compact location. But those destinations do have one thing in common: they are a long-haul flight from most global markets. Matthew Findlay, most recently of Christchurch International Airport and one of the region’s most experienced network development executives,
emphasises how important air services are to New Zealand’s economy “Travel by air is crucial to allow New
Zealand as a nation and an economy to share its culture and participate in the global economy,” says Findlay, who recently took up a position as executive manager, commercial and aviation business development at Newcastle Airport in Australia.
“Without air services, tourism would not be jostling with dairy as New Zealand’s number one export, and the country would not have the ability to participate in global markets as successfully as it does today.” The value of air services in an economy so remote therefore becomes
crucially important. “It’s not as widely understood by most how much direct and indirect economic value is created by a new air service,” said Findlay “Over a 12-month period, an airline could carry tens of thousands of passengers and many tonnes of freight – passengers that are travellers, or visitors arriving or departing for any number of reasons,” he adds. “In addition, air cargo exports to foreign markets may not have occurred if an air service didn’t exist.”
New Zealand is about a three-
hour flight from Australia, its closest neighbour. Even some of the island cousins are further north. Air services are obviously the most efficient form of transport across such large distances. Findlay notes that air services are universally accepted as an economic enabler and various independent studies show the full value of air connectivity. He believes the ripple effects from connecting a community to global markets are felt far and wide.
routesonline.com
Routes News 2, 2016
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