In his address to shareholders at the airline's annual meeting in Christchurch last week, chief executive Christopher Luxon said it was time to have "a bigger, bolder, braver conversation about creating a new Central Otago airport that could support Queenstown or Wanaka but from a different location from where those airports exist today''.
"That's going to be an ongoing conversation obviously with the people of the region but certainly with the airport companies as well.''
The same suggestion was made last month in the airline's submission to the QAC's proposal to expand noise boundaries at Queenstown Airport.
In its Queenstown Airport master plan, the QAC dismissed the idea of a new site for an airport after considering about 20 possible locations including Cromwell, Hawea Downs, Lumsden, Lauder and Alexandra.
It has declined to release information to the Otago Daily Times about its investigations of those sites.
A QAC spokeswoman said yesterday there were ongoing discussions with Air New Zealand, but she noted the airline was supportive of the proposed expansion of Queenstown Airport.
Answering a question from a shareholder, Mr Luxon implied the QAC "dual airport'' solution - expanding Queenstown Airport and developing Wanaka Airport - was a "bandaid solution''.
"We can't have an Auckland situation where the infrastructure doesn't support the growth that's happening there.''
Mr Luxon said Air New Zealand would "love to be able'' to send its jets into Wanaka Airport.
"There are a lot of people who fly from Auckland to Queenstown that are then driving over the Crown Range to get to Wanaka.
"We know already there's enough demand that we could probably make those services work really strongly.
"The problem is in Wanaka that the airport needs significant investment.''
The QAC's master plan for Wanaka Airport is due to be put out for public consultation in September next year.
A master plan is also under way for Alexandra Airport, being prepared by Central Otago District Council staff.
It is strongly focused on general aviation, however, property and facilities manager Mike Kerrs told the Otago Daily Times the Alexandra airport "definitely has the capability'' of being used for commercial flights.
Alexandra can take ATRs but its existing runway is too short for Air New Zealand jets.
