There’s been a positive response to the Southland District Council’s (SDC) call for qualified and experienced café operators to establish and operate a new café at Te Anau Airport Manapōuri, as the airport gears up for regular ATR arrivals from September 2024.

Expressions of interest closed on Tuesday (24 Sep) and Great South regional strategy and projects advisor Kelly Spittle says a couple of potential operators have expressed interest in formally applying but they hadn’t yet submitted their proposals.

They’re hoping to have the café up and running by mid-October in space already fitted out and serviced within the airport to give operators the best chance of a good summer’s trading, she says.

“There’s already a commercial kitchen all ready to go in there so it would be great to get it operating,” Spittle says.

The café would provide much needed revenue and become a really positive attribute for the airport. The council is hoping the café initiative will bring more visitors to the airport, providing dining options to passengers, crews, local businesses and visitors to the area into the future.

The expressions of interest notice on the council’s website says a savvy café operator will have all the ingredients to make the café a “destination of choice for locals and visitors to the region”.

In addition to airport users, the new café is being touted as an ideal catch-up spot over morning or afternoon tea, or lunch.

On occasion the terminal may also be hired out for private functions, it says.

Southland District Council strategic manager transport Hartley Hare said the Te Anau Manapouri Airport is certified to allow large aircraft such as the ATR72-500 to land.

One regular passenger aircraft, an ATR is expected to use the airport, starting at the end of September 2024.

Other occasional passenger planes are also expected, he said.

Passenger planes are classified as aircraft with a maximum certified take-off weight (MCTOW) of 5,700kg and above. This includes private jets.

Hartley said in the financial year 1 July 2023 to 30 June 2024, 776 passengers passed through the airport.

However passenger numbers from aircraft smaller than 5,700kg MCTOW are not recorded, he said.

The airport currently has three employees, a chief executive, Airport manager/operations manager and a Safety manager. however only the Airport/Operations manager is a full time position.

Part of the Airport/Operations manager's role is dedicated to Part 139 certificate requirements but the majority of the time the manager is running the operational airport to the level that it is designed for and capable of, he said.

Due to large aircraft movements we also require an on-call crew of ground handlers to assist the airport/operations manager, Hartley said.

These are local people who all have an interest in the aviation industry.

We try to encourage school leavers or students interested in Aviation to apply and become part of our ground handling crew to provide that level of exposure within the industry.

All ground handling services are paid for by the inbound aircraft as part of our ground handling service, he said.