Orix and Vinci to operate Kansai and Osaka airports in 44-year contract

Orix and Vinci said they would bring their “strong partnership” to operations at Kansai Airport

JAPAN. A consortium consisting of Orix Corporation and Vinci Airports has been selected to operate Kansai International Airport for the next 44 years, including control of retail activities.

The New Kansai International Airport Company (NKIAC) named the consortium as the preferred negotiation right holder for the concession at both Kansai and at Osaka International Airport.

Japanese financial services group Orix and French airport concession holder and operator Vinci said the success was a result of a strong synergistic partnership.

The pair will set up a concessionaire company to enter into a project agreement with NKIAC by the end of 2015. Orix and Vinci will have the same shareholdings, at 40% each, and minority shareholder companies from the Kansai region will hold 20% overall. The total funding plan is Â¥260 billion (€1.94 billion) of which Â¥80 billion (€597 million) will be paid out of shareholders contributions.

Operations at both airports are scheduled to be transferred to the concessionaire company at the end of March 2016.

The consortium will take over the running of Kansai and Osaka airports on 1 April, 2016

Orix said it would bring expertise in the fields of management planning, finance, personnel affairs, compliance and non-aviation marketing divisions, while Vinci will be in charge of the daily airport operation, aviation marketing, commercial marketing, technology and safety promotion divisions, while maintaining safety and airport functions and strengthening the airports’ “efficiency and international competitiveness”.

NKIAC will task the consortium with improving the convenience and comfort of the airports and increasing the operational revenue of the non-aviation related business “by optimising all operations from the arrival and boarding of the travellers down to the parking and accommodations”.

It said the concessionaire will be responsible for implementing a series of measures including store configuration optimisation and layout reform.

Together, Kansai and Osaka international airports serve 34.6 million passengers per year, and represent the second busiest airport group in Japan.

The contracts at both airports run from 1 April 2016 to 31 March 2060.

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