Airport chief executive Colin Keel said all four commercial airlines flying into the resort would be operating after-dark flights this winter. Virgin Australia and Qantas were in the final stages of regulatory approval.
The peak winter flight schedule, including after-dark flights operated by Air New Zealand, Jetstar, Virgin Australia and Qantas, would begin on June 22, coinciding with the opening of the Queenstown Winter Festival.
Total passenger movements for April were up 20% to 169,801, including 125,825
domestic travellers, an increase of 19% on April 2016.
Transtasman passengers accounted for 43,976, a 21% lift, with strong growth on the Sydney and Melbourne routes.Total passengers in the 12 months to April were 1,858,076, a 15% increase compared to the previous 12 months. The growth was largely attributed to school holidays and Easter falling in April this year.
Before winter, more than $1.3million would be invested in new runway and apron snow removal equipment. New de-icing procedures were also being introduced to complement the recently grooved runway, which cost $750,000 and was completed last month.
A runway sweeper would arrive from Norway early next month. It is designed to clear 230,000sqm of surface area an hour before "Helga, our monster snowblower" — capable of shifting 2700 tonnes of snow an hour — followed and dispersed the pile of snow. Another new vehicle would allow airlines to de-ice their aircraft at the gate, rather than being towed to the taxiway area first.
Other options for the airport included new de-icing treatments for the runway and footpaths.
In the event of significant ice build-up on the runway, a new "de-icing spreader" would be deployed which would melt the ice, while a new trolley sprayer would be used on the footpaths and forecourt, which would be "much quicker" than backpack sprayers.
Car park improvements were scheduled for completion next month.
Mr Keel said work was also well under way for the airport’s new park and ride facility, based at Frankton, due for completion in "early winter".
