The battle for control of Queenstown Airport has led to the resignation of the airport's chairman, Mark Taylor.
Mr Taylor says he had no choice in the matter, with the board demanding he did so or face being forced out.
He had come under fire for his part in the sale of a 25% stake in the airport to Auckland International Airport in July last year, with the option to lift that to between 30% and 35%.
Some in Queenstown are unhappy about the loss of control and lack of consultation over the sale.
But Mr Taylor does not regret Auckland Airport's involvement, saying the airport needs capital to expand its operations and the community will get a sizeable dividend from the sale.
