Review by Competition Commission says airports operator must stick to original timetable

Airports operator BAA will be required to sell Stansted and either Glasgow or Edinburgh Airport, the Competition Commission has provisionally confirmed.

The Commission has been reviewing its ruling that BAA needed to sell the airports since a legal challenge from BAA over the decision last year. This is despite the fact it won the Appeal court challenge and a subsequent decision by the Supreme court on whether to allow BAA a further appeal.

The review was also to take account of the fact that the government ruled out any expansion of Stansted subsequent to the Commission鈥檚 original ruling.

The Commission said in a statement today it had provisionally concluded that: 鈥淭he sale of the airports is fully justified and that passengers and airlines would still benefit from greater competition with the airports under separate ownership. The CC has also concluded that there is no reason to change the original timescale [of the sales].鈥�

Peter Freeman, Competition Commission chairman, said: 鈥淲e have re-examined that decision in the light of a significant subsequent development when the Government decided to rule out further runways at London鈥檚 airports. We are clear that many benefits will still arise with颅out that expansion, by increasing competition and addressing detrimental effects from BAA鈥檚 common ownership.

鈥淚f anything, since the report there now appears to be greater capacity available that will increase the potential for competition between the London airports.鈥�

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