IVC will be having some international charters from Australia later this year and I believe they will be with a 757 aircraft. The lack of facilities mean the charges are low and not hard to get customs up from port, not far away.

Just a quick correction. Invercargill Airport has no classification therefore is not a secure airfield. One international flight landed in Invercargill and because of the lack of facilities and Customs MAF etc it will never be used again. The airfield must be secure at all boundaries and Invercargill is not. The Jetway is owned by Air New Zealand. Not the Invercargill Airport Company.The customs hall has never been used and is now being used as a hangar again. Invercargill terminal is far too small and old to be used for even Domestic jet operations and Invercargill Airport Company or Holdco have since sold there security screening equipment. All jet aircraft depart NV empty. All in all the Airport is not user friendly. 1 arrivals door for all carriers. It is also used for departures at the same time.

A good little small provincial airport. Surprisingly large for the city it serves. Invercargill only has a population of 50 000.

Invercargill Airport has just receintly finished extending it's main runway out to 7250ft, so to allow for large aircraft up to 767-300/787-9 size.

However the main passenger terminal is small and there is only one all weather Jet Way, which, surprisingly can be used by ATR72-500s as the photo shows.

When I arrived, a number of flights to Queenstown had been diverted to Ivc due to that airport being closed. Two Qantas 737s and an Air NZ A320 were parked along the hardstanding and motor coaches were loading up their passengers for the 60 mile road trip up to Queenstown.

There are basic International custom facilities that are in an old hanger next to the main terminal and they are used quite frequently by diverted flights.

The baggage claim area is fully covered, conveyor system but you have to exit the main terminal in open weather and walk twenty meters to get to it. Invercargill's weather can be very inclement at times.

All the major rental car companies have booths but on this day the queues to them were long and spilled accross the open space that gives access to the Cafe area and stairway to the Jet Way departure/arrival gate.

Wheelchair facilities are provided with lifts and for those who have to board via ground level, a neat litle mobile lift device is used.

The carpark was huge and operated via card ticket and pay on departure.

There were no ATM facilities that I could see.

Overly the airport WAS having an unusual day and a look at regular scheduals sees that the airport is suited for it's size. As I was leaving, another Air NZ 737 was landing, having been diverted from Dunedin as it's airport had just closed!

As the airport is embarking on it's plan to size up for larger jet aircraft, I would suggest that the airport company work on doubling the terminal size, add another Jet Way and from what I have heard, vastly improve it's International arrivals and departure facilities.

As Queenstown is only an hours drive time away, Invercargill could cash in on it's larger and 24hr operatable runway (unlike Queenstown) to serve this tourist area. It will need to improve greatly.