Auckland International – Airport Infrastructure Consultancy

Auckland International Airport | Airport Infrastructure Consultancy

Advance TRS Management Consultancy provided airport infrastructure consultancy for Auckland International Airport, New Zealand’s busiest aviation hub. With annual passenger numbers exceeding 20 million and growing, the airport sought a robust infrastructure strategy to accommodate future capacity demands. A key component of this was the proposed development of a second runway—an initiative that would impact long-term airspace design, airline operations, and capital investment planning.

To guide this major decision, Auckland Airport commissioned a technically complex Airspace & Airfield Dynamic Simulation Study. Advance TRS Management Consultancy was engaged to lead the programme, providing project leadership, stakeholder engagement, simulation oversight, and strategic planning services.

Project Objectives

• Evaluate the operational, environmental, and strategic impact of introducing a second runway
• Support investment and regulatory decision-making with evidence-based modelling
• Align second runway planning with broader airport capacity expansion programmes
• Provide accessible, strategic recommendations for internal and external stakeholders

Advance TRS Management Consultancy’s Role & Contributions

Advance TRS Management Consultancy deployed an experienced infrastructure project lead to manage the study. Acting as both Project Manager and Strategic Advisor, the consultant coordinated cross-functional teams, directed simulation activities, and managed communication across internal departments and regulatory bodies.

Key airport infrastructure consultancy services included:

• Programme & Project Management: Full lifecycle delivery aligned with Auckland Airport’s long-term strategic and masterplanning frameworks
• Stakeholder Engagement: Coordination with the Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand, airline partners, consultants, and senior executives
• Simulation Oversight: Management and interpretation of dynamic simulation models to assess future airspace and runway performance under varying traffic scenarios
• Scenario Planning & Sensitivity Analysis: Delivery of phased runway scenarios accounting for environmental, operational, and airline needs
• Regulatory Support: Development of planning evidence and documentation for use in regulatory and investment processes
• Executive Communication: Translation of complex simulation data into accessible outputs for senior stakeholders and board-level decision-makers

Key Challenges

• Managing Complexity: Balancing operational demand forecasts, regulatory requirements, and infrastructure dependencies across future runway scenarios
• Stakeholder Alignment: Ensuring alignment across technical teams, airport departments, external consultants, and government stakeholders
• Simplifying Technical Data: Presenting advanced simulation outputs in a format suitable for non-technical executive audiences
• Integration with Broader Planning: Ensuring second runway planning integrated effectively with existing masterplans and other ongoing capital programmes

Outcomes & Impact

• Strategic Clarity: Delivered robust, simulation-based evidence to guide timing and investment in the second runway
• Regulatory Confidence: Provided critical inputs for planning submissions and strengthened the airport’s future investment case
• Executive Buy-In: Achieved cross-functional alignment through clear communication and strategic engagement
• Flexible Planning: Enabled scenario-based runway development strategies to ensure adaptability to future demand shifts

Auckland Airport – Airport Infrastructure Consultancy

• Ability to convert technical outputs into strategic board-level actions
• Cross-sector infrastructure experience applied to aviation planning challenges
• Strong track record in managing multi-disciplinary, regulatory-driven programmes
• Expertise in simulation, transport strategy, and capital investment decision-making