Supreme Court runway decision

The New Zealand Airports Association (NZ Airports) has welcomed the clarification provided by the decision of the Supreme Court, released today, regarding runway end safety areas (RESA) at New Zealand airports.

“Our chief concern had been that a narrow definition of ‘practicability’ had been applied by the Appeal Court, with little weight given to difficulty and cost”, said Kevin Ward, chief executive of the association.

“The Supreme Court has found that the role of the Director of Civil Aviation is to take all the context into account, including costs and benefits, when considering the length of RESA. This clarification is welcomed by airports.

“The parties will need some time to review the decision fully, and we will work with the Civil Aviation Authority to ensure there is a common understanding of the requirements, as guided by the Supreme Court decision