Auckland Airport acknowledges the publication of the Commerce Commission draft determinations

Auckland International Airport Limited (Auckland Airport) has acknowledged today’s release of the Commerce Commission’s draft determinations on input methodologies and information disclosure requirements, which will eventually form part of a new regulatory regime for airport services that is due to take effect from 2011.

Upon initial review, these draft determinations, which have followed extensive industry consultation, appear broadly consistent with the emerging views paper published by the Commerce Commission in December 2009.

Chief Financial Officer Simon Robertson said Auckland Airport is working its way through the extensive detail of the Commerce Commission draft determinations and supporting papers, however “we remain of the view that airports need to have the correct commercial incentives to ensure they make the necessary infrastructure investment for the benefit of travellers and other airport users, and the broader New Zealand economy”.

“We also recognise that the releases today are draft-only, and we remain committed to our ongoing consultation with the Commerce Commission as it progresses development of an information disclosure regime for airports.”

As the next step in the regulatory process, Auckland Airport and other parties involved will have the opportunity to make submissions on the Commission’s draft decisions. Following the submission and cross-submission process, final decisions are expected by 1 January 2011.