BAA Ordered To Sell Key Airports

The Competition Commission has ordered airport operator BAA to sell three airports including Stansted and Gatwick following its two-year investigation into the group's position in the UK.

The watchdog has ordered the partial break-up of Britain's largest airport owner following a two-year inquiry, the conclusions of which include:

• The sale of Gatwick, which is already under way, Stansted and either Glasgow or Edinburgh airport

• The buyers of the divested airports must be approved by the commission and have the resources to be effective competitors

• Improved consultation with airlines at Heathrow BAA's biggest airport

• From now on, the main priority for the industry regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority, should be the consumer and not airlines.

BAA Chief executive Colin Matthews called the findings "flawed saying that: “We might have to appeal if we reach the conclusion that it is simply not practical to proceed...It is not just a question of whether we agree or not with the Competition Commissioner's analysis, it is also a question of the practicalities of selling three airports in the current, extraordinarily tough [conditions].”