KEY POINTS:
The Board of Airline Representatives (BARNZ) has called on New Zealand's three major airports to end the adversarial process for deciding on landing charges once the current price-setting round is completed later this year.
The airline industry organisation has sent letters to Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch airports asking them to join it in approaching the Government to sort out a new framework for the process.
Airport landing charges for airlines have to be renegotiated every five years.
Consultation between the airlines and Auckland Airport is due to be completed in the next few months.
BARNZ chief executive Stewart Milne said the same issues were at the root of tensions between airports and airlines and would continue to be unless a new framework was agreed.
Those issues included the way the airports revalued assets and allocated costs, Milne said.
Auckland Airport doubled its net asset valuation to $2.7 billion last year - a move the airlines argue was a cynical attempt to bolster the case for higher landing charges.
"Wouldn't it be better if we jointly went to the Government when this round is over to get an agreement on these issues?" Milne said.
BARNZ argues the current legislation gives the airports too much power to set their own charges.
Although the airports are required to consult with the airlines they ultimately have the final say on price.
None of the airports have yet responded to the BARNZ invitation.
Auckland Airport chief executive Done Huse said he didn't think the current consultation had been particularly negative.
The airport was still working towards an outcome which was satisfactory to all parties, he said. The aim was that a meeting of minds would be reached, making it unnecessary to go back to the Government.
