Chatham Islands / Te Hapupu Airport

The airport was closed because it was replaced by the new, superior Chatham Islands / Tuuta Airport (NZCI). Te Hapupu's unpaved grass runway was short, often boggy, and unsuitable for the more modern aircraft needed to replace the aging Bristol Freighters. The new Tuuta Airport provided a longer, paved, all-weather runway capable of handling larger and more reliable turboprop aircraft, ensuring the long-term viability of air services to the islands.

The site of the former Te Hapupu Airport has reverted to private farmland. Satellite imagery shows the faint outline of the former grass runway, but it is now overgrown and used for agricultural purposes, likely grazing. There are no remaining airport buildings or infrastructure on the site.

Te Hapupu was the first operational land-based airfield on the Chatham Islands, representing a major milestone in connecting the remote archipelago with mainland New Zealand. The first official landing was an RNZAF Bristol Freighter on January 25, 1957. However, its most significant role began in December 1967 when Safe Air (Straits Air Freight Express) commenced the first regular, scheduled air service to the islands using their iconic Bristol Type 170 Freighter aircraft. These flights were a lifeline, carrying passengers, mail, and high-value freight like crayfish, which was crucial for the local economy. For 15 years, Te Hapupu was the sole air link, breaking the islands' historic reliance on infrequent and slow sea transport.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening Te Hapupu Airport. It has been permanently superseded by the modern and fully-equipped Chatham Islands / Tuuta Airport (NZCI), which adequately serves the community's needs with regular flights to and from mainland New Zealand. The land is now in private ownership and used for agriculture, making any potential reopening highly improbable.