Coronavirus: Airways may permanently close 7 regional towers

Thursday, 9 April 2020

Airways to close seven regional control towers (video first published in April 2020).

Airways is proposing to permanently close seven regional air traffic control towers due to Covid-19 travel restrictions, with job cuts expected if the closures go ahead.

The air traffic control services under review are those provided from Airways' towers at Hawkes Bay, Gisborne, New Plymouth, Rotorua and Invercargill airports. The airfield service provided at Kapiti Coast Airport and Milford Sound Piopiotahi Aerodrome were also being considered.

Airways chief executive Graeme Sumner said the locations under review were those where air traffic had been low even before the outbreak.

'It is simply not viable to continue the same level of service at locations where there are no passenger flights,' Sumner said.

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Airways announced earlier this week it would reduce its cost base by 30 per cent with 180 of its staff expected to leave through redundancy.

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Airways Invercargill air traffic control tower is one of the seven under review.

'It's an unfortunate and stark reality, but our focus now needs to be on supporting the long-term recovery of New Zealand's aviation industry by ensuring our services are affordable and match the reality of the aviation sector now and into the future.

'We now need to consider operating different services at these airports or that they operate as uncontrolled airspace in the same way as other uncontrolled aerodromes in New Zealand that have no Airways service – including Kerikeri, Taupo, Whangarei and Timaru airports,' Sumner said.

Pilots flying into these airfields use standard visual flight rules to stay separated before they reach an altitude covered by air traffic control radar.

Airways expected to commence a two-week consultation process with unions next week.

'Any changes would mean aircraft will still be able to fly safely to these locations. This includes freight, medical flights and future passenger services,' the company said in a media release.

Airways announced earlier this week it would reduce its cost base by 30 per cent, with 180 of its staff expected to leave through redundancy.

'Forecasts indicate the national network will only see up to a 60 per cent recovery over the next two years, with border restrictions expected to stay in place for some time.'

The New Zealand Airline Pilot's Association (NZALPA) told members it was a 'knee-jerk reaction made by an overwhelmed executive leadership team' that could 'echo through the financial future of NZ aviation for years to come'.

It said if the proposal was successful it would result in 'targeted redundancies'.

The union said the move was not in the interest of Airways' recovery from Covid-19.

'This could be the equivalent of selling off part of your farm because you had a tough year, if not done right the rest of the farm now has less maximum viability,' the council told members in an email.

'It is not in the interest of Air New Zealand and the industry's other main customers recovering from COVID 19. Operators need somewhere to fly to with reasonable sized aircraft and with reasonable levels of safety.

'It is not in the interest of those affected regions recovering from COVID 19. Reducing a region's connection to the outside world could have devastating economic and social effects.'

NZALPA president captain Andrew Ridling said the company was putting money ahead of the safety of travellers.

'Airways have already been given $107 million of tax payers' money either directly or via rebates, and also applied for $5 million in wage subsidy in order to prevent redundancies,' Ridling said.

A prototype at Auckland International Airport shows the tech-savvy future of air traffic control.

'Where is the essential safety case to close these regional air traffic towers?'

Airways chief executive Graeme Sumner says its simply 'not viable' to operate same level of service at 7 locations due to Covid-19 restrictions.

'This means the Civil Aviation Authority requirement to have air traffic control in attendance will be unable to be met for typical propeller aircraft such as ATR and Q300.

'Airways is now proposing to move the safety level of our National Airspace System back to the levels seen in developing nations.'

A spokeswoman for Air New Zealand said it was supportive of Airways' plans.

'Air New Zealand is operating a limited domestic schedule while New Zealand is in alert level four with services to most regional airports suspended during this period,' she said.

'We are supportive of measures to help rebuild the aviation sector long-term and welcome Airways' review of the affordability of its services.'