What happens when someone comes into the country and they get sick on the plane before they come into New Zealand?
Hi Franklin. Basically they are put into quarantine straight away and assessed by medical staff. Once there is a diagnosis the person may be free to enter New Zealand or they may need to be kept in quarantine or sent to a hospital for further treatment.
What is the biggest emergency that has occurred at the Christchurch Airport?
Kia ora Room 5 – thanks for your question. This would have to be the February 22 earthquake. Over 1000 people were calmly evacuated from the terminals immediately after the earthquake and safely held in the carpark areas. An Emergency Operations Centre was set up at the Airport Fire Station within 10 minutes of the quake. Computer equipment, radios, food and drinks were supplied within 30 minutes.
The runways were opened for emergency flights 90 minutes after the earthquake. It’s estimated that 25 - 30 lives were saved by the swift re-opening of the airport, which allowed medical supplies and emergency personnel to come into the city, and medical patients to be taken out to other centres.
What sorts of items do you most regularly have to take off people at customs?
Hello Maria - Thanks for your question. There are all sorts of items taken off people at airports. Prohibited food items would be one of the main things taken off people. Take a look on the videos page at "Seized Items at Border Security" for a special look at some of the different items that have been seized in the Customs Control Area.
What is the relationship between the airport company and the air traffic control tower?
Kia ora Jono. The control tower is owned by the Airways Corporation, a separate government organisation, and managed by them on behalf of CIAL. The Airways Corporation owns and manages all the operating control towers in New Zealand airports. They train and employ air traffic controllers.
Why was a new terminal built?
Hi there Room 13. The old terminal was 50 years old. When it opened in 1960, there were 1250 flights and 200,000 passengers per year. Fifty one years later,that number of passengers passes through the airport every 12 days. In 2011, there were 75,000 aircraft movements and 5.8 million passenger movements through the airport.
So the old terminal was simply not big enough and needed modernising. The new terminal now has the latest advances in check-in and baggage handling, and is adaptable for future growth.
