The Age late news:
Sydney Airport lease secured. .MELBOURNE, Feb 26 AAP|Published: Tuesday February 26, 11:37 PM
Prospective Ansett purchaser Tesna has finally secured the first of several airport leases crucial to the airline's take-off.
Sydney Airports Corporation Limited (SACL) announced late today it had formally offered Tesna a lease under the arrangements agreed to in principle on February 14.
Ansett administrators are still waiting to sign off documents to transfer the leases on 19 aircraft and the airport terminals of four other capital cities. . .advertisement . .
These lose ends threaten the Ansett sale deadline of midnight Thursday, set by administrators Mark Mentha and Mark Korda.
Mr Korda has repeatedly said the sale deadline would not be altered.
The Sydney Airport lease, in particular, was regarded as a major stumbling block to the sale of Ansett to Tesna, the company founded by Solomon Lew and Lindsay Fox.
However, a SACL spokesman tonight said the lease had never been a barrier to the sale of Ansett to Tesna.
"Sydney Airport has negotiated a deal in good faith and delivered in time for the administrators and Tesna to complete their sale process on 28 February," the spokesman said.
"We are an airport. Our clear intent is to get Ansett back in the air again and for passengers to enjoy the benefits of a competitive aviation market."
Inspections of aircraft and facilities are necessary before the air operators certificate (AOC) could be transferred from the administration to Tesna with two days' notice.
However, the AOC can be issued after the sale deal is signed.
Ansett administrators were back in court this week to obtain Federal Court approval for the Ansett sale.
However, the proceedings were deferred because many vital sale documents were incomplete, including the Sydney Airport lease.