Whangarei Airport facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Whangarei Airport
Whangarei Airport, on the Onerahi peninsula, surrounded by Whangarei Harbour
IATA: WRE ICAO: NZWR
Summary
Airport type	Public
Operator	Whangarei District Airport
Location	Whangarei
Elevation AMSL	133 ft / 40.5 m
Coordinates	35°46′06″S 174°21′54″E / 35.76833°S 174.36500°E / -35.76833; 174.36500
Website	www.whangareiairport.co.nz
Map
WRE Location in Northland Region
Runway
Runway Length Surface ft m 06/24 3,599 1,097 Asphalt 14/32 1,558 475 Grass
Statistics (2009)
Aircraft movements 18,770

Whangarei Airport (IATA: WRE, ICAO: NZWR) is a small airport located about 4 nautical miles (7.4 km) south-east of Whangarei city. It is in the suburb of Onerahi, on the east coast of Northland in the North Island of New Zealand. The airport has one main building for passengers, with two gates for planes.

History of Whangarei Airport

The very first place for planes in Whangarei was on Pohe Island. This was in the upper part of Whangarei Harbour. In 1928, a famous pilot named Sir Charles Kingsford Smith landed his plane, the Southern Cross, there.

However, this first airstrip wasn't very good. It was built on soft, reclaimed land. So, a better spot was needed for planes to land and take off. After looking at other places, the airport moved to its current location in Onerahi in May 1939.

World War II and the Airport

Whangarei Airport in 1942, during World War II.

Soon after the airport opened, World War II began. The RNZAF (Royal New Zealand Air Force) took over the airport. It became a training base called RNZAF Station Onerahi. Pilots practiced bombing nearby islands like Matakohe Island.

At first, the airport had three grass runways. A squadron of planes, No. 20 Squadron RNZAF, was formed there in 1942. After the war, the station became a public airport. It was changed to have two runways, and some old air force buildings became homes.

Commercial Flights Begin

In 1948, a company called National Airways Corporation (NAC) started flying planes between Whangarei and Auckland. They used 10-seat Lockheed Electra planes.

By 1950, the airport was too small for bigger planes. NAC started using smaller 6-seat de Havilland Dominie planes. These smaller planes made six return flights a day from Auckland. In 1950, over 10,000 people flew to or from Whangarei.

In 1963, one of the runways was made longer and paved with Asphalt. This allowed NAC to use much larger DC3s. A new airport building and a control tower were also built.

New Airlines and Upgrades

In 1970, NAC started using Fokker Friendship planes. Another company, Northern Districts Aero Club, also started offering flights to Auckland. They used smaller Piper Cherokee Six planes. This service became popular and helped the Aero Club build new facilities.

In 1988, Air New Zealand took over NAC's flights. They used smaller Embraer Bandeirante planes. The airport's control tower closed in 1988 because the airport was considered too small to need it.

In 1991, a new airline, Ansett New Zealand, started flying to Whangarei. They competed with Air New Zealand. Both airlines used Bandeirantes, and Ansett also flew Dash 8s. The airport building was improved because of this growth.

Ansett New Zealand stopped its service in 1998. To help with demand, Air New Zealand's partner, Eagle Airways, increased its flights. They flew Bandeirante planes 69 times a week!

In 2001, Eagle Airways bought new Beechcraft 1900D planes. They started using these on all routes. In 2002, they even began direct flights from Whangarei to Wellington. This was Eagle Airways' longest regular flight.

Other airlines also offered services. Sunair flew to places like Tauranga and Rotorua from 2007 to 2009. They returned briefly in 2015. Salt Air offered a quick service to Auckland from 2008 to 2012.

In 2009, the runway was upgraded again. This allowed larger planes like the Bombardier Q300 and some ATR 72 aircraft to use the airport. In 2011, a Mount Cook Airline ATR 72 landed, which was a first for that type of plane.

From 2015, Air New Zealand stopped using the smaller Beech 1900D planes for Whangarei flights. They switched to only using the larger Q300 aircraft.

Airport Growth and Future Plans

Whangarei Airport, shortly after 2009 upgrades.

Around 2009, the number of passengers and flights at Whangarei Airport grew a lot. It reached a peak of about 140,000 passengers each year. However, this growth slowed down due to global economic changes.

A big project costing $1.5 million was finished in April 2009. This project made the runway longer and resurfaced it. These changes allowed bigger planes to land. Air New Zealand started testing flights with its Bombardier Q300 aircraft. By 2014, the Q300 became the only type of plane Air New Zealand used for flights to Whangarei.

More upgrades costing $1.02 million were announced in 2015. The area where planes park (the taxiway) was made bigger. Paths outside the terminal and the taxi stand were improved. A second airport entrance was built, and the car park was made larger. Inside the terminal, there was more seating, better toilets, and a bigger baggage claim area. These improvements were finished by mid-2016. They help keep the airport modern for the next 15 years.

The Whangarei District Council is looking into moving the airport. The current site is too small to expand much more. A longer runway (between 1200m and 1350m) is needed for future aircraft. A site south of Whangarei was considered, but it was too far from the city. Another idea was near Port Whangarei, but this is unlikely due to costs. If the airport moves, it won't be before 2025.

In December 2020, the Whangarei District Council bought land northwest of Whangarei for $7 million. This land is a possible future site for a new airport. This purchase helps "future-proof" the council's plans for relocating the airport when the time is right.

Airlines and Destinations

An Air Nelson Q300 plane arriving at Whangarei Airport.

Here are the airlines that fly from Whangarei Airport and where they go:

Airport Services

The new glass walk-through tunnel, finished in 2011.

The airport has a modern building for passengers. It has air conditioning, free Wi-Fi, and a cafe called The Apron. The building was recently upgraded to include a glass tunnel. This tunnel protects passengers from the weather when they walk to their planes at gates 1 and 2. The airport also has secure parking and three companies where you can rent cars.

Whangarei District Airport no longer has an Aero Club. However, you can still learn to fly small micro-light aircraft through the Whangarei Flying Club. A company called Skydive Ballistic Blondes offers tandem and sport skydiving from the airport. Helicopter companies like Skywork and Twin Coast Helicopters also operate here.

There is one aircraft maintenance facility, Northland Aviation Ltd. They fix planes for airlines and many other aircraft in Northland. The airport also handles private jets and larger group charter flights.

BP provides fuel for planes (Jet A1 and AVGAS). Since 2006, pilots can listen to an AWIB (Aerodrome Weather Information Broadcast) system on 119.8 to get weather updates.

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