Airports and ports

Airports are infrastructure companies with specialised and commercial property holdings and require a range of commercial, financial, construction, property and resource management advice.

As in other developed countries, airport businesses in New Zealand have been turned into companies and ownership of the major international airports has diversified into mixed private and local government shareholding as well as mixed central government and local government shareholding.

Airports operate under airport-specific regulation and, in the case of airport companies, information disclosure under the Commerce Act.  They are also subject to further regulation such as oversight of charges.

Ports are not regulated in the same way as airports, but nevertheless face similar issues in negotiating charges with their customers.  The setting of charges therefore requires a disciplined approach to valuation of assets, setting of weighted average cost of capital (WACC), and recovery for improvements and maintenance such as dredging.

We provide legal services to major international airports, regional airports and ports in New Zealand, and have developed specific industry knowledge and expertise to service all facets of airports' and ports' legal requirements.  We provide a range of airports, ports, and clients with interests in airports and ports, with:

• Advice on the special regulatory environment for airports comprising the Airport Authorities Act, consultation processes for setting landing changes, regulation of joint-venture airports under the Civil Aviation Act, civil air safety and aviation security regulation, border controls and land use regulation under the Resource Management Act and the Public Works Act

• Advice on information disclosure and economic regulation under the Commerce Act

• Advice and drafting of contracts relating to airport and port services, major equipment supply such as fire tenders, and the purchase of services such as the bulk purchase of telecommunications services and electricity

• Advice on property and construction requirements of airports, including aeronautical land leases, terminal leases (including commercial concessions and licences) airport construction and maintenance contracts, tendering of rental car, taxi and other concessions for transport operators at airports

• Acquisition and divestment of land under the Public Works Act and section 40 obligations.