The chief executive of Auckland Airport sees air freight and increasing direct flights to Asia as two future growth opportunities for the company.
Simon Moutter has told a transport conference in Auckland that developing links with Asia would be a good counter to any future decline in long haul air travel, and would tap into markets with good economic growth.
Mr Moutter says freight volumes through Auckland Airport have declined since 2006, while volumes of air freight worldwide and of sea freight in New Zealand have been increasing.
He says even the current economic slowdown should not affect Auckland airport's long term trend of growth at double the country's Gross Domestic Product.
