Would go a long way': Airlines back move for more airport transparency

Airlines are backing a proposal to increase airport transparency on major capital projects, arguing that passengers ultimately bear the costs of large investments. The plan would require airports to provide more detailed and timely information on new investments whose total estimated costs exceed 20% of an airport’s regulated asset base from the previous year, which represents the financial value of core aeronautical infrastructure. In Auckland’s case, disclosed regulated asset base for the 12 months to June 30 was $2.382 billion, down from a forecast $3.162 billion. The Commerce Commission said the additional visibility would enable clearer scrutiny of big projects before investment decisions are made, while supporting efficient spending. Comments on the proposal were accepted until July 23 and cross-submissions until August 10. Board of Airline Representatives (BARNZ) executive director Cath O’Brien welcomed the change, while New Zealand Airports Association CEO Billie Moore said the sector is already extensively regulated and questioned whether the regulator lacks aviation-specific expertise.