"BAA London airport monopoly may be referred to Competition Commission - report"

Sunday, December 3, 2006

BAA London airport monopoly may be referred to Competition Commission -
report
AFX
  
 
LONDON (AFX) - The UK's Office of Fair Trading is poised to refer airport
operator BAA to the Competition Commission in a move that could herald the
end of monopoly ownership of London's main airports, according to a report
in The Sunday Times.

The paper cited unnamed aviation-industry sources as saying that the OFT,
which began an inquiry into airport ownership in June, is expected to
deliver its verdict within the next fortnight.

BAA, bought earlier this year by Grupo Ferrovial SA, owns Heathrow, Gatwick
and Stansted - the three largest airports serving London. 

The report said that if a Competition Commission inquiry is ordered it will
take up to two years to complete.

BAA has previously rejected calls for a break-up of its UK airports, arguing
that a more fragmented ownership structure would undermine vitally needed
investment in airport capacity.


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