Queenstown Airport's taking steps to ensure aircraft safety

It's the first Australasian airport to install Engineered Materials Arresting System beds at both ends of the main runway.

They're designed to bring planes to a controlled stop, if the runway is overrun.

Acting chief executive Todd Grace says challenging terrain around Queenstown's runway poses a risk.

He says while the likelihood of an aircraft overrunning the runway are low, the consequences could be significant.

The 20-million-dollar project will be completed over summer.