Hamilton Airport

I can't help myself. I posted about the Hamilton Airport Departure tax not being at all remarkable. This from the NZ Herald

A fall in international passengers has not prevented Hamilton International Airport from reporting a strong December half-year profit.

After-tax profit was $269,003, up more than 19 per cent, on $225,677 previously. Pre-tax profit was also up 19 per cent to $401,497 on revenue of $2.7 million, up 3.9 per cent.

Total passenger numbers were down 4 per cent, mostly due to a 19 per cent fall in international passengers after a cut in Freedom Air's schedule.

Passenger numbers down 19%, profit up 19%. Remember this is an airport owned by local government. It has the potenital to become a major regional hub and a major small aircraft development centre, but unfortunately they invest their creative energies in designing departure taxes.

Do I still seem a little bit bitter? I'm not! I just feel all the good work that is going on in the region like V8's can get undone by silly little things like a departure tax.