New Zealand: Airport delays possible as aviation booms

Airways is warning of possible delays at busy airports if the aviation boom continues at current levels. While the air traffic control agency was "on top of it for now," it was going to be harder to make sure all airlines were not hit by congestion. The state-owned enterprise posted a 54% increase in annual profit and more than doubled its dividend to the Crown as it benefits from an 8% increase in flights. CE Ed Sims said the company was spending more on technology over the coming year to tackle congestion. It expects capital expenditure in the year ahead to around NZ$40m, having increased it 10% in the last financial year, much of it on infrastructure at Queenstown Airport to allow night flights. Sims said delays in New Zealand were still being measured in seconds per flight rather than minutes. <br/>