Any municipality, or any two or more municipalities jointly, may establish, maintain and operate an airport at any location within the state approved by the executive director of the Connecticut Airport Authority and by the municipality or municipalities within which such airport is to be established. The Commissioner of Transportation may take any land or interest therein necessary for such establishment at such location upon paying just compensation to the owner of such land or interest therein. The approval of the municipality shall be by vote of a town or borough and by vote of the city council of a city. Any municipality, or any two or more municipalities jointly, may expand or improve an airport, and may take any land or interest therein necessary for such expansion or improvement when, in the opinion of the commissioner, public convenience or safety requires, and when the approval of the municipality or municipalities in which such land is located has been legally obtained, upon paying just compensation to the owner of such land or interest therein. In case such municipality or municipalities cannot agree with such owner upon the amount of such compensation, the amount shall be determined in the manner prescribed in § 48-12. An appeal from the amount so determined shall not act as a stay of the taking of such land, provided no facility or land or interest therein held by a public service company for service to the public shall be so taken or removed unless, at the expense of the party seeking such taking or removal, an adequate and equal substitute approved by the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority shall first be provided.