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| BAA 'should sell three airports' | |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| BAA may have to sell three of its seven UK airports because of concerns about its market dominance, the Competition Commission has said. | BAA may have to sell three of its seven UK airports because of concerns about its market dominance, the Competition Commission has said. |
| The watchdog is recommending that the airport operator should have to sell two of either Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted airports in the South East. | The watchdog is recommending that the airport operator should have to sell two of either Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted airports in the South East. |
| It also believes BAA should not be allowed to continue to own airports in both Glasgow and Edinburgh. | It also believes BAA should not be allowed to continue to own airports in both Glasgow and Edinburgh. |
| BAA said it had "no intention" of selling Heathrow, its largest airport. | |
| The final decision on the company's future will be taken next April. | The final decision on the company's future will be taken next April. |
| Ownership concerns | |
| Publishing the preliminary findings of its inquiry into BAA's control of the UK's largest airports, the commission said BAA's current ownership structure was having "adverse consequences" for passengers and airlines. | |
| BAA has been fiercely criticised for poor customer service and delays at its airports, particularly Heathrow. | |
| The commission said many of the problems of recent years were due to the "common ownership" of Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted, which account for nearly 90% of departures and arrivals into London. | |
| It will now consult on whether it is appropriate for BAA to have to sell two of its three flagship airports but that now looks likely. | |
| The commission said that BAA was likely be allowed to keep control of Southampton and Aberdeen airports, its two smallest airports, because they did not present competition concerns. | |
| BAA's chief executive Colin Matthews said he accepted the report's concerns about "poor service" and "frustration" for passengers. | |
| He declined to comment on the future for individual airports but said BAA had "no intention of selling Heathrow". |