Kaitaia Airport facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kaitaia Airport
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| Summary | |||||||||||||||
| Airport type | Public | ||||||||||||||
| Operator | Far North Holdings Ltd. | ||||||||||||||
| Location | Kaitaia | ||||||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 270 ft / 82 m | ||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 35°04′12″S 173°17′07″E / 35.07000°S 173.28528°E | ||||||||||||||
| Map | |||||||||||||||
 KAT
Location in Northland Region
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| Runway | |||||||||||||||
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Kaitaia Airport (KAT, NZKT) is a public airport in Kaitaia, New Zealand. It is located in the Northland Region. The airport is about 320 kilometers (200 miles) away from Auckland. Barrier Air operates daily flights from Kaitaia to Auckland Airport.
Airport History
On June 13, 2005, Kaitaia Airport received a big boost. They got $333,850 to make their runways better. The goal was to allow larger airplanes to land there safely. The Far North District Council approved this funding.
This upgrade meant the airport could handle aircraft weighing up to 15,000 kg. This would allow planes like the Bombardier Dash 8 and ATR 72-500 to fly into Kaitaia. A total of $1.4 million was invested in the airport. This money also helped create larger parking areas for planes and better buildings for travelers.
In April 2015, Air New Zealand stopped its flights between Kaitaia and Auckland. Soon after, Barrier Air started flying this route. They began their service on April 28, 2015, using a Cessna Caravan aircraft.
Where Planes Go From Here
Kaitaia Airport is the most northern airfield in New Zealand that offers fuel for planes. It has a very long and smooth runway. In fact, it is the longest runway in the Northland region. This makes it a good stop for small planes and larger private jets, like the Gulfstream V.
From Kaitaia, planes can fly to other places far away. For example, Norfolk Island Airport is 852 km (530 miles) to the north-west. From Norfolk Island, it's 754 km (468 miles) to Nouméa in New Caledonia. Another option from Norfolk Island is Lord Howe Island, which is 900 km (560 miles) away. Lord Howe Island can be a "stepping stone" to reach Australia.
These distances are within reach for many light aircraft if they have extra fuel tanks. Larger private planes can often fly these distances directly. From New Caledonia, other Pacific Islands like Vanuatu and Fiji are also within flying range. These islands can be used as further "stepping stones" to other destinations in the South and North Pacific.
Airlines and What They Do
Currently, Barrier Air flies from Kaitaia Airport to Auckland.
In the past, Eagle Airways used to fly Beechcraft 1900D planes for Air New Zealand. They had flights twice a day on weekdays and daily on weekends. As mentioned, Barrier Air took over this route on April 28, 2015. Other airlines, like Tauranga-based Sunair, also showed interest in flying this route.
The airport is also home to the Kaitaia Aero Club. This club runs a small flight school from its hangar. Here, people can learn how to fly airplanes.
