The Queenstown Airport Corporation has been cautioned by the Queenstown Lakes District Council over a curfew breach in May, but there will not be any further enforcement.
On May 20, a Jetstar flight bound for Melbourne departed Queenstown Airport 13 minutes outside the airport’s consented operating hours.
Earlier this month the airport company apologised to affected residents and said it took responsibility for the incident because it was responsible for upholding the airport’s resource consent.
The summary of findings stated the airport’s operations team authorised the flight to leave at 10.12pm due to concern for the 99 passengers on board.
It also advised the pilot there were no Civil Aviation Authority or Air Traffic Control restrictions that affected the late take-off.
Following the breach, QAC wrote to all airlines and Air Traffic Control reconfirming the curfew requirements.
"Additional wording" would be included in various documents to provide "absolute clarification" that aircraft must be either wheels up or wheels on the ground at 10pm, without exception.
All key operations staff — including the four airlines operating at Queenstown Airport — would receive "further communication" to ensure complete understanding of the council’s resource consent requirements.
And, in future, QAC would stand down an aircraft if it considered it would breach the curfew.
QLDC regulatory manager Lee Webster said yesterday the council would not be taking any enforcement action against the airport for the breach.
The matter was reviewed "without prejudice" by the council’s regulatory arm — the airport is a council-controlled trading organisation (CCTO).
After "due consideration", Mr Webster determined a caution on the matter was sufficient.
"Like any breach by any other party, we consider all the facts and where possible apply our discretion to waive enforcement."
The airport corporation launched an immediate investigation, had put in place processes to mitigate any further breach and "fronted the community with an apology".
"I am satisfied that no further action is required," Mr Webster said.
