Kāpiti Coast Airport asks Kāpiti Aero Club to relinquish its lease by end of month

Kāpiti Aero Club says it is taking legal advice after a request from Kāpiti Coast Airport Holdings Ltd that it surrender its lease ahead of a possible announcement of the airport's closure.

In a statement, the club said its existing lease had a term through to 2033, but Kāpiti Coast Airport Holdings had asked for the lease to be brought to an early end on 30 November 2026 and for the club to vacate the land by 28 February 2027.

The club said it was short notice and set the expectation that Kāpiti Airport would close at the end of November.

"There has recently been significant uncertainty for the club's staff, members and wider community, and the club is deeply concerned about the implications of a possible closure. It is exploring all avenues to secure its future and is taking legal advice in response to the request to surrender its lease," the club's statement said.

It said the loss of the airport would pose a threat to the region in times of civil emergency by depriving the population of critical infrastructure when it was most needed.

Kāpiti Aero Club has 13 staff and operates a fleet of more than 10 aircraft providing flight training for both creational and professional pilots, it said.

The club said it was determined to protect its future and to continue providing flight training.

It said it hoped the importance of Kāpiti Airport to the local community and the wider region would be recognised as decisions about its future were made.