Kāpiti Coast Airport

The Kāpiti Coast Airport is significant to our community and our district's economy. The ability for people to fly to and from Kāpiti strengthens business, family and visitor connections and supports a strong visitor economy.

We're committed to retaining and growing regional air services in our district. An economic evaluation [PDF 1.41 MB](June 2018) of the Kāpiti Coast Airport to the District estimates the net economic benefit of the Airport to Kāpiti residents to be around $4.3 million per year, with savings in travel time and costs identified as the biggest contributors to this figure.

In the Long-term Plan 2021–41, Council committed to exploring what role we might have in the future of the Kapiti Coast Airport. You can see how this was proposed in the Long-term Plan 2021–41.

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Air services

Located at 60 Toru Road, Paraparaumu the Kāpiti Coast Airport provides scheduled air services between Kāpiti and Blenheim, Nelson and Auckland.

• Air Chathams fly daily between Kāpiti and Auckland.
• Sounds Air fly to Paraparaumu from Blenheim and Nelson.
• Heliworx provide scenic flights around our district, and connections to accommodation, attractions and activities.

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Retaining air services in Kāpiti

The future of the Kāpiti Coast Airport is currently uncertain. Ownership of the airport changed in late 2019, and after taking time to assess things, the new owners concluded that the airport operations are not sustainable for them. The vulnerability of the ongoing provision of air services has also been heightened in the immediate term by the lower levels of travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Surveys completed in 2018 and 2020, and feedback received through our recent What Matters Most long-term plan community engagement shows that there is overwhelming support for the airport to remain as an important strategic asset in the district.

Our Council has been active in keeping air services and we remain committed to doing what we can to ensure the airport remains in operation.

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Community support

Colmar Brunton survey 2018

Following Air New Zealand’s decision to withdraw air services from Kāpiti in March 2018, we commissioned Colmar Brunton to survey people from Kāpiti and neighbouring districts who had flown from Kāpiti, Palmerston North or Wellington airports in the previous 12 months. The Colmar Brunton survey report – April 2018[PPTX 5.32 MB] was the outcome.

The purpose of this survey was to determine whether there was a mandate for the Kāpiti to Auckland air service and to quantify the size of the market and provide useful information about barriers, motivations and opportunities for air passengers out of Kāpiti Coast Airport.

In summary the survey showed:

• overwhelming support for the airport as an important asset in the district and the re-establishment of air services from the airport. 91 per cent of people surveyed supported efforts to re-establish the Kāpiti – Auckland passenger service.
• the total number of flights taken to or from Auckland by Kāpiti, Porirua and Horowhenua residents was approximately 215,000 in the past 12 months. Just over 50,000 of these flew in or out of Kāpiti airport.
• price and scheduling were the main reasons why residents, especially those based in Kāpiti, had not used Kāpiti airport.
• passengers who put a high priority on convenience were not particularly price sensitive.
• several opportunities exist to increase the market for air services from Kāpiti.

Curia survey 2020

Council commissioned Curia Market Research to conduct a further survey in December 2020 to gauge the level of community support for retaining Kāpiti Coast Airport as a working or operational airport. The Curia Market Research – December 2020[PDF 560 KB] was the outcome.

In summary the survey showed respondents:

• 87 percent – felt it is important to them personally to have a working or operational airport in Kāpiti.
• 95 percent – felt it is important to the community to have a working or operational airport in Kāpiti.
• 96 percent – agreed Kāpiti Coast Airport is an important strategic asset for the district.
• 80 percent – said they have used Kāpiti Coast Airport, with 46% saying they have used it in the last year.
• 49 percent – said they are very or somewhat likely to use the airport in the next 12 months.

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