Free Trial

Air Finance Journal Copying and distributing are prohibited without permission of the publisher

BAA to appeal airport break-up

20 May 2009

The airport operator is to appeal the UK Competition Commission’s ruling demanding it sell Gatwick, Stansted and a Scottish airport, claiming the report was influenced by “apparent bias” and failed to take economic factors into consideration.

Read more: [BAA] [UK] [Competition Commission] [Gatwick] [Stansted]

BAA is to appeal the ruling ordering it to sell three airports, the company said yesterday.

The airport operator, owned by Spanish group Ferrovial, will ask the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) to review the decision made by the UK Competition Commission (CC) demanding it sell Gatwick, Stansted and one Scottish airport.

The CC made its recommendation in March after a two-year investigation, ruling that a break-up of BAA’s monopoly was needed to both increase competition and improve the passenger experience.

But BAA is appealing the decision on two grounds – that the report was “affected by apparent bias” and failed to take into account adverse economic conditions.

The company said in a statement the bias accusation stemmed from “links between a member of the Competition Commission panel and an organisation interested in acquiring the airports that BAA is required to sell.”

The person under the spotlight is Peter Moizer, part...


Poll

Do you care about what happens at air shows?

Yes
35%
No
65%