BAA puts Gatwick up for sale but Ryanair also wants Stansted on market

BAA, the Spanish-owned company which owns and operates London’s major airports, including all Heathrow terminals, as well as the largest hubs in Scotland, has decided to put Gatwick up for sale. This follows a report by UK competition regulators which recommended that BAA’s monopoly on airports around the British capital be broken, in order to ensure better service and improved facilities for airlines and passengers alike.  

But Michael O’Leary of discount carrier Ryanair believes that BAA’s quick agreement to sell Gatwick is probably just a way to ensure that it keeps Stansted, the London area’s third largest airport. The Irish discount airline, however, is demanding that BAA part with Stansted as well, where Ryanair has based many of its flights. O’Leary’s recent complaint in recent months has been that airport fees that BAA charges airlines operating out of Stansted have been far too high and that the operator is not investing in facilities that would really make the travel experience far more pleasant and efficient for passengers.  ”This morning’s announcement that the BAA monopoly is putting Gatwick up for sale is just the latest attempt by the BAA monopoly to get itself off the hook of the Competition Commission’s recommendations. Airlines and passengers have been abused for many years with high prices and abysmal service at all of the BAA’s London and Scottish airports and the “trick” of selling off Gatwick won’t end this abusive monopoly,” O’Leary explained this morning.

Ryanair’s solution would be to have the Competition Commission compel BA to part with Stansted, as well as either its Glasgow or Edinburgh airport within the next 12 months. There has even been some speculation that Ryanair may even be interested in submitting a bid for Stansted.

Thank you to the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation and to Peanuts Online for the initial report.

www.ryanair.com