Airport operator registration

If you are an airport with a legislated requirement to provide space for a government agency to function (biosecurity, customs or immigration for example), you must apply.

You can find more information about space requirements here:  section 218 of the Civil Aviation Act 2023, section 218 (legislation.govt.nz)

Other airports can choose whether they wish to register.  

Airports with legislated space requirements must apply for registration no later than October 2025. 

Under the Civil Aviation Act 2023, these airports will need to have an approved Regulatory Airport Spatial Undertaking (RASU) in place by 6 January 2026 – to be able to do this, they will need to be registered first. The October 2025 deadline will give us time to process both applications.

Current airport authorities need to register by 5 April 2030 to retain the powers and obligations they currently hold.

The powers of an airport operator include, but are not limited to, land acquisition, consultation on charges, price setting, information disclosure, leasing, and making bylaws. 

The obligations on an airport operator include consulting with the airport stakeholders on capital expenditure plans, spatial plans, and Regulatory Airport Spatial Undertakings (RASUs).  The obligations ensure accountability and transparency.

Your application needs to include details, and relevant supporting documentation, of the following:

• the operator's name and contact details 
• a description of the aerodrome and any other area covered by the registration 
• any previous cancellation or suspension of the airport registration, including the date this took effect 
• any space requirements that apply (or will apply) and whether a Regulatory Airport Spatial Undertaking (RASU) or RASU exemption is in place
• airport or aerodrome ownership and management structure 
• consultation with people likely to be substantially affected by the registration 
• how obtaining airport registration is consistent with the main purpose of the Act and each additional purpose 
• how you, as the operator, have met any obligations under Legislation and Civil Aviation Rules to date.

The main purpose of the Act is a safe and secure civil aviation system.

The additional purposes of the 2023 Act are

• to maintain, enhance, and promote a transport system that contributes to environmental sustainability, economic prosperity, inclusive access, healthy and safe people, and resilience and security
• to promote innovation, effectiveness, and efficiency in civil aviation
• to ensure that New Zealand’s obligations under international civil aviation conventions, agreements, and understandings are implemented
• to preserve New Zealand’s national security and national interests
• to take into account the adverse effects of civil aviation on the interests of people, property, and the environment.

The Ministry’s assessment process includes:

• verifying the airport or aerodrome operations are consistent with the main and additional purposes of the 2023 Act
• reviewing airport or aerodrome compliance history and capability and assessing the likelihood of compliance with Civil Aviation Act 2023 obligations and the Civil Aviation Rules
• verifying the current status and progress of any RASU recorded against the information we hold internally, or whether any RASU exemption is held
• confirming that people likely to be substantially affected by the registration have been consulted and their views noted and/or addressed in the application. 

Additional information or clarification may be requested from you as the applicant or other relevant parties.

If your application meets all the requirements, a decision should normally be made within four weeks of us receiving it. 

We will notify you once a decision has been made. This notification will include:

• the decision: whether the application has been approved or denied
• the reasons for the decision: a detailed explanation of the factors that contributed to the decision
• the terms of registration: If approved, the terms of the registration under the Civil Aviation Act 2023
• the appeal process: If denied, the reason and the steps for appeal: information on how you can appeal the decision, if you wish to do so.

We will log the acceptance, file a record of the airport registration and note the registration’s acceptance in the airport register, which will be publicly available on our website.

Once the application has been approved, you will be able to exercise the powers associated with the relevant obligations as an airport operator under the 2023 Act. 

The registration will take effect from the date stated in the notification.

If we have any concerns with the application, we will ask you to provide additional information.

If, after reviewing the additional information, the application does not meet the requirements, your registration will be declined and referred it back to you, specifying which matters need to be addressed before you can reapply.

You may apply to vary the area covered by a registration. This process follows the same evaluation procedures as the initial registration, but specifically covers changes in land area.

If the requirements are met and the variation is approved, we will provide you written notice specifying the newly varied area covered by the registration.

An airport’s registration can be suspended or cancelled through a written notice issued by the Ministry. This can occur under two circumstances:

• you request this as the airport operator. 
• we determine you are either not operating the airport (e.g., due to insolvency) or do not hold the necessary aviation documents required to operate the aerodrome.

The suspension can be for a specified period or until a specified requirement is met.  Any person affected by the decision has the right to appeal the decision to the District Court.