Flybe calls for forced sale of Southampton Airport

Flybe is urging the Competition Commission to require that BAA sell off Southampton Airport as part of the forced break up on its holdings.

The regional carrier has expressed its dismay that the watchdog had not already recommended the sale of Southampton Airport in its earlier report.

Mike Rutter, Flybe’s chief commercial officer, said: “The Competition Commission have got it wrong on Southampton Airport. Despite detailed evidence provided to them by Flybe, they have ignored the obvious fact that BAA have for years given Southampton a poor deal in comparison to their other airports in the South East.”

Rutter added: “We are calling on the CC to revisit their findings, to actually undertake the research that they themselves admit is missing from their analysis and come back with a different answer in February when they publish their final report.”

The carrier stressed that BAA would continue to focus on Heathrow in the future, ensuring that pricing at Southampton would deter competition with the larger London airport, “to the clear detriment of Southampton travelers.”

Flybe revealed that it presented the Commission with evidence that BAA continues to under-invest and over-price at Southampton.

Rutter did note that Flybe welcomed that the sale of Edinburgh was being recommended and urged BAA to begin the process of selling off that airport as soon as possible.

Thanks to www.travelmole.com for the above quotes, for more information on this article please visit their website.

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