PO Box 14001
Christchurch 8544
New Zealand
Telephone (+64 3) 358 5029
christchurchairport.co.nz
21 September 2023
Simon Richardson
Email: c/-
[FYI request #23937 email]
Dear Mr Richardson,
OFFICIAL INFORMATION ACT 1982 (OIA) – REQUEST FOR INFORMATION - CHRISTCHURCH
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT LIMITED (CIAL)
1.
We write further to our email of 24 August 2023, acknowledging receipt of your email of 24 August
2023 (via the third party public platform fyi.org.nz) in which you requested the following information
pursuant to the OIA:
“Please provide research and fact base behind the annual value to the economy both passengers
and freight for a 787 aircraft performing one flight per day either from Christchurch or Tarras” (the
“
Request”)
2.
CIAL will provide you with the requested information where it is able. However, you will note within
this letter that it is occasionally unable to release requested information if it would prejudice or
disadvantage CIAL’s commercial activities. Before we answer your specific query, it may be helpful
to provide some context to this.
3.
The OIA permits an organisation to refuse to release requested information it holds if the withholding
of such information is necessary to enable the organisation to carry out its commercial activities or
negotiations without prejudice or disadvantage (s 9(2)(i) and s9(2)(j) OIA) provided that such
withholding is not outweighed in the circumstances by the public interest in making the specific
information available. For example, while it may be in the public interest to understand that CIAL is
investigating the feasibility of establishing an airport in Central Otago that does not mean CIAL must
share every detail of its plans, analysis, work or negotiations within specific work streams.
4.
As you may be aware, CIAL is a council-controlled trading organisation that has been specifically
established to operate and manage its business as an independent commercial undertaking for the
purposes of making a profit, and to follow generally accepted commercial practices and disciplines.
CIAL is not a public body collecting and spending public funds. It operates as a wholly commercial,
standalone entity. Due to the size and scale of those activities it is one of only three major airports
in New Zealand regulated under Part 4 of the Commerce Act 1986.
5.
As an airport, CIAL has a further overriding obligation under the Airport Authorities Act 1966, and
reinforced by the Civil Aviation Act 2023, to act as a commercial undertaking. It does so in a
commercially competitive environment both domestically and internationally, where its competitors
6.
are not under corresponding disclosure requirements. The proposed Central Otago Airport Project
(the
Project) is a complex commercial activity, acknowledged as being in competition with the
interests of other airports within New Zealand.
7.
The Project is currently in the validation and planning phase which in and of itself is a complex
commercial activity. At present, CIAL is under no legal obligation to consult in relation to the Project.
To assist public understanding of the context of the Project and CIAL’s decisions, CIAL has committed
to, and does, proactively publish information as it completes pieces of work which is likely to be in
the
public
interest
to
receive
on
its
dedicated
Project
website
at
https://www.centralotagoairport.co.nz/ (the Project Website). This publicly available summary
information includes a document recently published in August 2023 titled
“Unlocking Potential:
Central Otago’s runway to a future-focussed airport”, which provides general information on the work
and analysis CIAL has undertaken as at the date thereof in relation to the Project
(https://www.centralotagoairport.co.nz/uploads/images/Unlocking-potential-31-Aug2023.pdf).
8.
The
Unlocking potential: Central Otago’s runway to a future-focussed airport report includes
summary information on annual value of passengers and freight based on daily services over 12
months. This information which is generic in nature, and does not relate specifically to Christchurch
Airport or the proposed Central Otago Airport, compares widebody and narrowbody jets. The
widebody analysis which, draws on information from Stats NZ, MBIE and airport analysis, is based
on the capacity and value to New Zealand of a typical widebody B787-9 flight, including:
•
Passenger capacity: 300 seats
•
Tourist spend from a single flight: $0.43m
•
Yearly tourist spend from a daily flight: $157m
•
Freight capacity: 14 tonnes
•
Average value of freight on a single flight: $1.4m
•
Yearly value of freight with a daily flight: $509m.
9.
We trust we have answered your requests for information. If you require any further information or
we have in some way misinterpreted your requests, please let us know.
10.
You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of the decisions contained
in this letter. Information about how to contact the Ombudsman or make a complaint is available at
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800 802 602.
Yours sincerely
CIAL LEGAL TEAM
Email: [Christchurch International Airport Limited request email]
