Infratil puts off Lubeck Airport sell-back option
By Paul McBeth
Feb. 2 - Infratil Ltd., the investment group that controls TrustPower Ltd., decided to defer an option to sell
its stake in Lubeck Airport back to the German city, despite passenger numbers missing their target last year, an event
that could trigger the put option.
The company has agreed not to exercise this option before Oct. 23 after reaching an agreement with the City of
Lubeck in December to extend its right to ‘put’ its 90% stake in the airport back to the city until January 2010. It
would receive 23.5 million euros plus compensation for operating losses in 2009 to a maximum of euro 1.6 million plus
interest.
“Infratil and the airport continue to await the planning approval decision that, if successful, would encourage
aircraft to be based at the airport and allow for significant passenger growth,” the company said in a statement. The
airport reported 540,000 passengers in 2008.
The investment group bought its stake in the airport in 2005, including an option allowing it to require the
city to buy back its 90% shareholding if there were fewer than 1.2 million passengers in 2008. Its stock was unchanged
at NZ$1.77, rising 8.6% this year.
The city of Lubeck has a similar option to claw back the 90% stake before Oct. 31 with the same costs and
conditions.
(Businesswire)