Corporate Travel News For South Pacific

Chorus Aviation announced (29-Jun-2017) subsidaries of Chorus Aviation Capital completed the acquisition of six ATR 72-600 aircraft with attached leases from Avation PLC. The acquisition was completed using a combination of equity capital from Chorus and term debt financing consistent with previously indicated leverage ratios for the Chorus Aviation Capital business. The aggregate purchase price for the aircraft is consistent with current market values for similar aircraft. The acquisition agreements were previously announced on 24-Apr-2017. The acquired aircraft are between one and four years old. Three are currently on lease to Flybe and three are currently on lease to Virgin Australia. [more - original PR]

New Zealand's Office of the Auditor-General announced (27-Jun-2017) it absolved Wellington City Council from any wrongdoing after it paid Singapore Airlines to launch Singapore-Canberra-Wellington service. The route commenced in Sep-2016, with reports questioning the basis of the decision to provide Council funding to support the route. Members of the public and media raised concerns including: an alleged lack of paperwork and analysis to support or document the funding decision, the ability of the Council's Chief Executive to approve the funding without consideration by the Council and a lack of transparency about the cost to the Council and its ratepayers. The Auditor-General stated: "Based on the information we have seen to date, we do not intend to investigate this matter further." [more - original PR]

Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, via its official Facebook account, hinted (28-Jun-2017) upgrades to the terminal 4 car park are underway and will be revealed soon. Works include reconfiguring the parking space to include a premium parking area.

Queenstown Airport stated (29-Jun-2017) its ground transportation upgrade project will allow for quick entry and exit of vehicles, reducing the overall number of vehicles on the inner ring road by 40%. Works under the NZD4.6 million (USD3.3 million) project include widening roads, developing a new roundabout inside the airport entrance, implementing a 'Tap & Go' car park payment solution, developing purpose built coach parking, passenger pickup and drop-off areas and additional car park capacity. CEO Colin Keel said: "We've listened to feedback from residents and visitors and done our best to achieve a strong balance between options, affordability and convenience". More technology, products and infrastructure improvements will be introduced over the next 12 to 24 months. [more - original PR]

Queenstown Airport installed (29-Jun-2017) the 'Tap & Go' payment solution at Car Park A and B as part of its NZD4.6 million (USD3.3 million) ground transportation upgrade project, which was completed over 18 months. The solution removes the need for paper ticket and manual payment at a pay station, allowing customers to enter and exit the car park by tapping their credit or debit card at the boom gate. CEO Colin Keel stated "We've listened to feedback from residents and visitors and done our best to achieve a strong balance between options, affordability and convenience". [more - original PR]

Airways New Zealand announced (28-Jun-2017) it will continue to deliver ATC services to Niue, Samoa, the Cook Islands and Tonga after the renewal of the contract for a further five years. New Zealand's Transport Minister Simon Bridges stated: "The Pacific Upper Airspace agreement we have with these four countries is a significant part of Airways New Zealand's involvement with the Pacific region." [more - original PR]

Tourism Research Australia released (28-Jun-2017) the State Tourism Satellite Accounts report, which examines tourism for 2015/16 and highlights its importance to each Australian State and Territory's economy. Highlights include:

• New South Wales:
  • Consumption: AUD38.1 billion (USD29.1 billion) up 5.2%;
  • Employed: 164,000 down 0.2%;
  • Gross State Product: AUD16.3 billion (USD12.5 billion) up 6.6%;
• Victoria:
  • Consumption: AUD29 billion (USD22.2 billion) up 8.4%;
  • Employed: 134,100 up 2.3%;
  • Gross State Product: AUD11.3 billion (USD8.6 billion) up 9.2%;
• Queensland:
  • Consumption: AUD30 billion (USD22.9 billion) up 7.6%;
  • Employed: 137,600 up 3.9%;
  • Gross State Product: AUD12.6 billion (USD9.6 billion) up 9.5%;
• Western Australia:
  • Consumption: AUD15.4 billion (USD11.8 billion) up 4.6%;
  • Employed: 71,800 up 3.2%;
  • Gross State Product: AUD6 billion (USD4.6 billion) up 7.1%;
• South Australia:
  • Consumption: AUD8.1 billion (USD6.2 billion) up 3.2%;
  • Employed: 36,700 down 5.7%;
  • Gross State Product: AUD3.1 billion (USD2.4 billion) up 2.1%;
• Tasmania:
  • Consumption: AUD3.7 billion (USD2.8 billion) up 3.0%;
  • Employed: 71,200 down 3.3%;
  • Gross State Product: AUD1.3 billion (USD1 billion) up 4.3%;
• Northern Territory:
  • Consumption: AUD3.2 billion (USD2.4 billion) up 4.2%;
  • Employed: 9200 down 2.0%;
  • Gross State Product: AUD1.2 billion (USD0.9 billion) up 5.7%;
• Australian Capital Territory:
  • Consumption: AUD2.5 billion (USD1.9 billion) up 1.1%;
  • Employed: 9700 down 4.9%;
  • Gross State Product: AUD1 billion (USD0.8 billion) up 1.2%. [more - original PR]

Tourism Queensland responded (28-Jun-2017) to Tourism Research Australia's 2015/16 State Tourism Satellite Accounts data, which shows tourism is worth AUD25 billion (USD19.1 billion) to the Queensland economy and supports more than 225,000 direct and indirect jobs. Queensland's Tourism and Major Events Minister Kate Jones stated the data shows tourism continues to play a vital role in the State's economy and it is pleasing to see the State's Gross State Product from tourism is growing at a faster rate than the national average, at 8.7% versus 6.9%. [more - original PR]

Tourism WA responded (28-Jun-2017) to Tourism Research Australia's 2015/16 State Tourism Satellite Accounts data, which shows the number of jobs created by tourism in Western Australia (WA) increased by 4000 year-on-year. Tourism Council WA CEO Evan Hall stated tourism has now created more than 100,000 jobs in WA, overtaking industries such as mining. [more - original PR]

Air Niugini, via its official Facebook page, stated (27-Jun-2017) it met with the National Airports Corporation and the Federated States of Micronesia's (FSM) President Peter Christian to discuss several issues relating to the airline industry, including Air Niugini's service to Pohnpei and Chuuk. Mr Christian acknowledged Air Niugini for providing Micronesia-Port Moresby service and confirmed the government's support, stating "we are extremely happy with this new service and my government will continue to work with Air Niugini to ensure the route is sustainable". Air Niugini CEO Simon Foo stated demand for the route is increasing and the airline will continue to work closely with the FSM Government, business community and the tourism sector to ensure the new service grows.