1 00:00:00,760 --> 00:00:03,440 Speaker 1: Control tower at a Harkia Air Base is soon going 2 00:00:03,480 --> 00:00:06,039 Speaker 1: to operate twenty four to seven, making it the country's 3 00:00:06,080 --> 00:00:08,920 Speaker 1: official back up airport right now. As you will know 4 00:00:09,039 --> 00:00:11,360 Speaker 1: from listening to this show, long haul flights have to 5 00:00:11,400 --> 00:00:14,160 Speaker 1: carry an extra six tons of fuel just in case 6 00:00:14,200 --> 00:00:16,640 Speaker 1: Auckland Airport closes and they're force to divert. Same with 7 00:00:16,760 --> 00:00:19,680 Speaker 1: christ Church. Cath O'Brien bought of airline reps is with 8 00:00:19,760 --> 00:00:23,079 Speaker 1: us this morning. Kath, good morning, Good morning Ryan. And 9 00:00:23,160 --> 00:00:25,160 Speaker 1: it wasn't long ago we were talking about this bit 10 00:00:25,160 --> 00:00:26,080 Speaker 1: of common sense. 11 00:00:25,880 --> 00:00:30,440 Speaker 2: Here, Ah, some great common sense here. Airlines are delighted 12 00:00:30,560 --> 00:00:34,160 Speaker 2: to hear this news today from the Minister and it's 13 00:00:34,280 --> 00:00:38,199 Speaker 2: really gonna unlock some value for the aviation system in 14 00:00:38,240 --> 00:00:38,760 Speaker 2: New Zealand. 15 00:00:39,080 --> 00:00:41,320 Speaker 1: What happens I was thinking about this this morning. So 16 00:00:41,360 --> 00:00:44,000 Speaker 1: if a plane diverts, has to divert to a Harkier 17 00:00:44,040 --> 00:00:45,599 Speaker 1: in the middle of the night, what happens to all 18 00:00:45,600 --> 00:00:48,400 Speaker 1: the passengers in the Harky? Do they go stay in Bulls. 19 00:00:48,159 --> 00:00:51,199 Speaker 2: Or what we Hacke operates. That's what we call a 20 00:00:51,200 --> 00:00:54,200 Speaker 2: gas and go destination. So that's in the name. So 21 00:00:54,800 --> 00:00:57,760 Speaker 2: an aircraft will come in, it will be refueled and 22 00:00:57,800 --> 00:01:00,240 Speaker 2: moll then be able to continue on its way. And 23 00:01:00,280 --> 00:01:03,560 Speaker 2: the reason that's important is because long haul airlines are operating, 24 00:01:04,120 --> 00:01:06,160 Speaker 2: you know, obviously at a great distance when they come 25 00:01:06,200 --> 00:01:10,640 Speaker 2: to New Zealand, and when they reach their destination, they 26 00:01:10,760 --> 00:01:12,959 Speaker 2: really don't have a lot to go on. And so 27 00:01:13,040 --> 00:01:15,800 Speaker 2: we have to have, you know, an airport that's capable 28 00:01:15,840 --> 00:01:18,759 Speaker 2: of receiving that aircraft if it needs to desert away 29 00:01:18,760 --> 00:01:21,760 Speaker 2: from its primary destination and give it some gas and 30 00:01:21,800 --> 00:01:23,080 Speaker 2: get it on its way, all right. 31 00:01:23,000 --> 00:01:24,720 Speaker 1: So no one actually gets to stay in Bulls. 32 00:01:25,000 --> 00:01:28,240 Speaker 2: I'm disappointed, it's certainly not the plan. No, we'll still 33 00:01:28,280 --> 00:01:29,520 Speaker 2: get you, get you where you're going. 34 00:01:29,959 --> 00:01:32,600 Speaker 1: And why do you what's taken so long? I mean 35 00:01:32,600 --> 00:01:34,280 Speaker 1: you've been going on about this for a while now, 36 00:01:34,280 --> 00:01:34,640 Speaker 1: haven't you. 37 00:01:35,120 --> 00:01:37,560 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, for sure. I have spoken to you a 38 00:01:37,600 --> 00:01:40,440 Speaker 2: few times about it, and it's certainly been something I've 39 00:01:40,440 --> 00:01:44,039 Speaker 2: st spoken extensively to officials and to the Minister about. 40 00:01:44,600 --> 00:01:49,400 Speaker 2: And really it was just about getting everybody to understand 41 00:01:49,480 --> 00:01:53,120 Speaker 2: the importance and to find an arrangement that we could 42 00:01:53,240 --> 00:01:56,040 Speaker 2: that we could get that air travel control underway. And 43 00:01:56,080 --> 00:01:56,920 Speaker 2: I'm really glad we have. 44 00:01:57,920 --> 00:02:00,720 Speaker 1: When you say arrangement, it's all it's a funded by 45 00:02:00,760 --> 00:02:01,280 Speaker 1: the government. 46 00:02:02,200 --> 00:02:06,520 Speaker 2: Well, actually airlines are fund nomination for hark Here. So 47 00:02:07,080 --> 00:02:10,799 Speaker 2: certainly airlines are already paying substantial cost to nominato hark Here, 48 00:02:10,919 --> 00:02:14,560 Speaker 2: and those those funds do pay for Semetha Trever control 49 00:02:14,600 --> 00:02:19,440 Speaker 2: as well and for use of the base. And so 50 00:02:19,440 --> 00:02:22,160 Speaker 2: certainly airlines are already contributing in large part. And this 51 00:02:22,280 --> 00:02:25,160 Speaker 2: is just the very last piece of the puzzle, if 52 00:02:25,200 --> 00:02:27,400 Speaker 2: you like. For that for the overnight air traffic control, 53 00:02:27,639 --> 00:02:28,240 Speaker 2: we're going to have. 54 00:02:28,200 --> 00:02:30,200 Speaker 1: The air traffic controllers to do it. I was speaking 55 00:02:30,240 --> 00:02:32,320 Speaker 1: to a training the other day who said, we're sort 56 00:02:32,320 --> 00:02:34,040 Speaker 1: of running short, We've got gaps. 57 00:02:34,960 --> 00:02:37,840 Speaker 2: Yeah, well, certainly that's a global problem, and I'm confident 58 00:02:37,880 --> 00:02:40,919 Speaker 2: that Airways New Zealand will be able to manage this need. 59 00:02:40,960 --> 00:02:45,240 Speaker 2: I understand they already have the training needs kind of 60 00:02:45,280 --> 00:02:47,840 Speaker 2: in the in the plan and they'll be able to 61 00:02:47,840 --> 00:02:49,560 Speaker 2: deliver this by mid twenty twenty seven. 62 00:02:49,720 --> 00:02:52,280 Speaker 1: All right, Kath, appreciate your Times Morning. Cath O'Brien brought 63 00:02:52,280 --> 00:02:54,400 Speaker 1: an airline rep for more. 64 00:02:54,200 --> 00:02:57,640 Speaker 2: From early edition with Ryan Bridge. Listen live to news talks. 65 00:02:57,680 --> 00:03:01,880 Speaker 2: It'd be from five am weekdays. Follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.