New Plymouth Airport Mini Guide
What Can you Tell me About New Plymouth?
It’s a great place to spend a holiday. As a coastal resort, it may not have the finest beaches but it does have a picturesque waterfront promenade bordering the Tasman Sea. The city is proud of being environmentally friendly and has been awarded millions of dollars to enable it to further its cycling and pedestrian scheme aiming to cut the amount of pollution in the city. Winter sports lovers will be in their element in New Plymouth as there are great slopes and ski facilities just outside the city near Mount Taranaki. Finally don’t miss Pukekura Park, illuminated for two months of the summer and offering entertainment to all ages.
How do I get to New Plymouth?
Six miles away from the city centre is New Plymouth’s own airport. It’s a busy one and was voted the best in New Zealand last year. Operated jointly by the city and the New Zealand government, Air New Zealand is the sole operator at the airport with daily flights to
Auckland,
Christchurch and
Wellington. There’s a local bus service into the city which operates around the time of the flights and taxis are also available. Many people hire cars so they can explore the beautiful region but pre-booking is highly recommended.
What is the Airport Like?
Having opened in 1966, the airport was upgraded in 1996, actually getting smaller with the removal of the upper observation deck. It was further upgraded in 2005, this time losing even more space with the removal of the exterior observation area. The airport itself is friendly and efficient, bright and spacious, despite increasing passenger numbers, and has won awards for its service and facilities. It originally served the oilfields but in time the other attractions of the region accounted for an increasing proportion of the passenger traffic.
What Should I Expect When I Land at New Plymouth?
The airport is too small to have invested in jet bridges so it’s a pleasant walk from the plane to the terminal for passengers. If you need assistance, help will be available as long as you’ve let your airline know in advance. As all flights are internal, there’s no worry over passport control and it’s not long until you’ll have your bags and be in the arrivals area. There’s an information point against the opposite wall and the staff there go out of their way to maintain the high standards of service at the airport. Nearby, there’s an ATM for quick cash withdrawals and the car rental desk is also easy to find. Cars are collected from immediately outside the terminal, alongside where the buses stop and the waiting area for taxis.
What are the Facilities Like for Departing Passengers?
There are only two check in desks but these operate efficiently, meaning very short queues for checking in. There aren’t many facilities at the airport but the café is renowned for delicious, home-cooked food from full breakfasts to hot main meals. There’s a nice lounge for passengers whilst waiting for flights but no shops apart from a small outlet selling papers, magazines and sweets.
New Plymouth is a very fortunate city. Founded by migrants from Plymouth in Devon, the city sits in an area rich in petrochemicals and the income generated by the finds have made the city wealthy and funded many municipal projects for the citizens.
Add to this the fact that Mount Taranaki is around thirty minutes away by hire car and you’ll be able to walk by the sea in warm sunshine yet ski minutes later in the mountains. The city is also renowned for its green credentials having a major cycling and pedestrian project underway.