History
As the world prepared for war, it became clear that a landing strip needed to be constructed in the Hamilton area. By 1935, the air strip was already in service, as a stop over for military aircraft that would land after a long journey. Services provided refueling as well as food and rest for the incoming pilots.
Travel by air began to blossom soon after the war was over, and, in 1950, the airport received its first commercial flight. The main runway was sealed in 1965, and turboprop flights began to Hamilton that year, with NAC's Fokker Friendship aircraft operating. The runway was further lengthened to accomodate Vickers Viscount, 1970, and ultimatly Boeing 737 aircraft types in 1975.
In 1989, the New Zealand government sold the airport to councils representing Hamilton city (50 percent), Waikato district (15.625 percent), Waipa district (15.625 percent), Matamata-Piako district (15.625 percent) and Otorohonga district (3.125 percent). This development led to unprecedented growth for the airport.
Ansett built an independent passenger terminal to the south of the main building. Equipping it with a 'Golden Wing Club' lounge and food vending machines. The airline's Ansett NZ division, operated flights to Wellington from Hamilton from 1995 until 2000, when Ansett NZ was sold to a New Zealand business consortium and rebranded Qantas NZ, with their own New Zealand domestic flights division. Qantas NZ operated at the airport until 2001 when it went into receivership. The terminal was then occupied by Origin Pacific airlines. This airline operated domestic services until it too went bankrupt in 2004. The small terminal was then left unused.
In 1998 Hamilton Airport Motor Inn was developed to cater for travellers using the airport.
A NZ$15.3 million terminal expansion begun in 2005 featured a 60 percent increase in floorspace with improved baggage handling areas, better international and domestic check-in space, and passenger security screening. It was completed in late 2007.
Hugh McCarroll was the airport's chief executive from the early 2000s until retirement in February 2006. Current chief executive is Chris Doak, formerly growth and development general manager for electricity utilities company WEL Networks.
Read more about this topic: Hamilton International Airport
Famous quotes containing the word history:
“I assure you that in our next class we will concern ourselves solely with the history of Egypt, and not with the more lurid and non-curricular subject of living mummies.”
—Griffin Jay, and Reginald LeBorg. Prof. Norman (Frank Reicher)
“The principle that human nature, in its psychological aspects, is nothing more than a product of history and given social relations removes all barriers to coercion and manipulation by the powerful.”
—Noam Chomsky (b. 1928)
“In nature, all is useful, all is beautiful. It is therefore beautiful, because it is alive, moving, reproductive; it is therefore useful, because it is symmetrical and fair. Beauty will not come at the call of a legislature, nor will it repeat in England or America its history in Greece. It will come, as always, unannounced, and spring up between the feet of brave and earnest men.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)