WIAL April 24th Release And Letter To Qantas

Saturday, 21 April 2001, 3:31 pm
Press Release: Wellington International Airport Limited

News Release
Embargoed until 9.00 AM
April 24 2001

Wellington Airport to withdraw services to Qantas NZ.

Wellington International Airport advised today that it will withdraw services to Tasman Pacific Airlines Ltd (TPA), operators of Qantas New Zealand, from 9.00am on Monday 30 April, following the failure by TPA to pay outstanding landing charges.

Wellington International Airport Ltd Chairman Mr Phil Walker said the company was giving advance notice of the decision to minimise inconvenience to the travelling public. Mr Walker said TPA had missed a deadline set by the company to settle outstanding amounts in excess of $750,000, and despite subsequent negotiations, no payments had been received.

“As a result we cannot continue to provide airport services to Qantas NZ until such time as the outstanding amounts are settled and we have confidence that the airline can make payment for future landing charges”, Mr Walker said

From 9.00am on Monday 30 April Wellington Airport will withdraw operational systems including aerobridges, public address systems, check-in counters and baggage systems.

“The shareholders of Infratil (66 per cent owner of WIAL) and the ratepayers of Wellington (WCC owns 34 per cent of WIAL) should not be required to subsidise the operations of this business and its shareholders”, Mr Walker said.

For further information contact:

Phil Walker
Chairman WIAL
0061 418 874 819

Or

John Sheridan,
Chief Executive, WIAL
(04) 385 5100
(021) 648 264

Kevin Doddrell
Chief Executive
Qantas New Zealand
P O Box 62 667
AUCKLAND

Confirmation of fax sent to (09) 526 8402
and email sent to kevind@qantasnz.co.nz

Dear Kevin

Further to my letter of 19 April, I note that payment of the overdue charges has not been made.

Before we withdraw services, the WIAL Board has asked me to arrange a media release, so that the public can be advised of our intentions and issues of public inconvenience can be addressed.

A copy of our proposed media release is attached. It will be published at 9am on 24 April.

You will note that our current intention is to withdraw services from 9am Monday 30 April 2001.

We have copied this letter and the proposed media release to AIAL and CIAL on a strictly confidential basis, given the operational links between us.

Yours sincerely

John Sheridan
Chief Executive

© Scoop Media

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