REPORTING OF NOISE-RELATED COSTS IN THE consolidated FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The reporting of noise-related costs in the financial statements is a complex matter. In particular the issue of formal expropriations involves significant assumptions and estimates concerning the capitalisation of such costs and the obligation to recognise appropriate provisions. This complexity is attributable to a large variety of relevant legal bases, unclear or pending legal practice and political debate.

The rulings by the Swiss Federal Supreme Court in the first half of 2008 on fundamental issues related to formal expropriations enabled Flughafen Zürich AG to reliably estimate the total cost of compensation for formal expropriations for the first time, in spite of the remaining uncertainties regarding the accuracy of this estimate. With further rulings on 8 June 2010 and 9 December 2011, the Swiss Federal Supreme Court definitively set the cut-off date for the foreseeability of an eastern approach as 1 January 1961 and ruled definitively on the method used to calculate a decline in the market value of investment property. In the first half of 2016, the Swiss Federal Supreme Court handed down two rulings in test cases regarding claims for compensation relating to the eastern and southern approach routes. Based on these Swiss Federal Supreme Court rulings and other fundamental issues that have since been decided in a court of final instance, the company undertook a reappraisal of costs for formal expropriations, which in each case led to an adjustment to both the provision for formal expropriations and the intangible asset from the right of formal expropriation.

In the first half of 2018, the court handed down two rulings in test cases regarding cooperative ownership. These Swiss Federal Supreme Court rulings enabled Flughafen Zürich AG to undertake a reappraisal of the outstanding cost of compensation for formal expropriations. Based on the recalculation, the expected total costs for formal expropriations decreased from CHF 385.0 million to CHF 350.0 million. This enabled the provision for formal expropriations to be reduced by CHF 34.5 million (nominal amount: CHF 35.0 million) as at 30 June 2018 (see note 19, Provision for formal expropriations plus sound insulation and resident protection). At the same time, the intangible asset from the right of formal expropriation was reduced by the same amount (see note 11, Intangible assets).

As at the reporting date, the estimated costs for formal expropriations amounted to CHF 350.0 million (31 December 2017: CHF 385.0 million), of which CHF 72.1 million had already been paid out at that date. The outstanding costs of CHF 277.9 million (nominal amount) are stated at their present value of CHF 275.2 million in the consolidated financial statements for the period ended 31 December 2018.

With respect to sound insulation and resident protection measures, the Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA) required Flughafen Zürich AG, in connection with its 2014 operating regulations application, to submit an extended sound insulation programme by the end of June 2015. Based on the permitted noise exposure levels specified by FOCA, and taking into account the still pending changes to its 2014 operating regulations, the company duly submitted its 2015 sound insulation programme by this deadline. At its meeting on 22 June 2015, the Board of Directors approved a further CHF 100 million of measures in this context in addition to the CHF 240 million previously estimated for sound insulation and resident protection.

Flughafen Zürich AG is required to implement sound insulation measures in the area where it claims exemptions from noise limits (emission limit). In this context, the Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA) has initiated a night-time noise abatement procedure. The area with exemptions under the Sectoral Aviation Infrastructure Plan adopted by the Federal Council on 23 August 2017 is to be extended. A provision for further costs of CHF 60.0 million, with a present value of CHF 57.6 million, was recognised in this context as at 30 June 2018 in addition to the cost of CHF 340.0 million previously estimated for sound insulation and resident protection (see note 5, Other income and expenses and note 19, Provision for formal expropriations plus sound insulation and resident protection).

As at the reporting date, the estimated costs for sound insulation and resident protection measures amounted to CHF 400.0 million (31 December 2017: CHF 340.0 million), of which CHF 249.1 million had already been paid out at that date. The outstanding costs of CHF 150.9 million (nominal amount) are stated at their present value of CHF 148.2 million in the consolidated financial statements for the period ended 31 December 2018.

Depending on future and final-instance legal judgements, including with respect to the southern approaches, noise-related liabilities may in future be subject to substantial adjustments, which would also require adjustments to the noise-related costs recognised as assets and liabilities in the balance sheet. At the present time, it is not possible to reliably estimate the total costs to capitalise as an intangible asset from the right of formal expropriation, the resulting amortisation or the corresponding provision.

Aircraft noise costs are refinanced through charges. The most important charge from a refinancing standpoint up until 1 February 2014 was the separate CHF 5.00 passenger noise charge. Owing to a directive on airport charges issued by FOCA on 14 November 2013, this passenger-related noise supplement was no longer collected as of 1 February 2014 as it can be assumed that the funds of the Airport of Zurich Noise Fund are sufficient to finance the costs currently estimated. Should actual future noise-related costs significantly exceed the estimate, this supplement would have to be levied again over the medium term in order to cover the costs. Aircraft noise charges are still.