A Queenstown Airport aviation tourist operator says he and other operators should not have to leave the airfield because "big conglomerates say you should".
The Queenstown Airport Corporation wants to extend its aerodrome designation to include 19.1ha to the south and Hank Sproull, owner and chief pilot for Air Milford and spokesman for the Milford Users group was disappointed at the suggestion this week from Air New Zealand and Remarkables Park Ltd small businesses should move to other airfields.
The designation proposal was referred directly to the Environment Court by then environment minister Nick Smith and has been opposed by Air New Zealand and Remarkables Park Ltd.
Both appellants say the airport has not given thorough consideration to alternative options - shifting off-site or using land north of the main runway - which the airport has disputed.
Air New Zealand's submission to the Environment Court said continuing to have general aviation and helicopter activities operating at the airport was a constraint on scheduled service operators and an option was to relocate them off-site.
"This is a single airport, where scheduled services are the main business and where GA (general aviation) and helicopters use many of the same facilities or airspace and impact on scheduled service operators," the submission said.
Remarkables Park Ltd outlined the need for the airport to consider alternative options, such as "whether GA and sightseeing activities should be relocated away from the Queenstown Airport" as suggested by Air New Zealand.
Counsel for Queenstown Airport Corporation David Kirkpatrick told Judge Jane Borthwick the alternatives raised by opposing parties would not achieve the same objectives as the original proposal.
The alternatives "are focused on the options for relocation of general aviation and helicopter activities" and include the suggestion that either or both activities could be relocated to Wanaka airport or Glenorchy aerodrome.
"A lot of pilots that have learnt to fly here now fly for Air New Zealand," Mr Sproull said.
"This has been a training ground for young pilots to gain experience and go on to fly for the bigger jet and charter companies."
Mr Sproull said it was "just not an option, not for us - [But] it's the easiest option for them, to shift the small guys out."
"Who's going to transport them [passengers] when the hub of the business is in Queenstown?"
The airport expansion will allow for an extra taxiway, more car parking and the relocation of general aviation and helicopter activities on-site.
The hearing is expected to continue in Queenstown next week and for two days in Christchurch.
