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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Virgin Atlantic plans Gatwick bid | Virgin Atlantic plans Gatwick bid |
| (about 6 hours later) | |
| Virgin Atlantic says it is planning a bid for Gatwick airport, which has been put up for sale by its owner, BAA, in conjunction with other parties. | |
| Virgin is talking to a group of interested parties about a bid for the airport, valued by analysts at up to £2.5bn. | Virgin is talking to a group of interested parties about a bid for the airport, valued by analysts at up to £2.5bn. |
| A decision on Gatwick could be made by the end of next year. | A decision on Gatwick could be made by the end of next year. |
| The Competition Commission has said BAA may have to sell some airports because of market dominance concerns. | The Competition Commission has said BAA may have to sell some airports because of market dominance concerns. |
| Heavenly marriage? | Heavenly marriage? |
| "I think it remains to be seen how much Gatwick is actually worth, bearing in mind we are in the middle of a downturn and bearing in mind it needs to be independently verified," Paul Charles, a spokesman for Virgin Atlantic, told BBC News. | "I think it remains to be seen how much Gatwick is actually worth, bearing in mind we are in the middle of a downturn and bearing in mind it needs to be independently verified," Paul Charles, a spokesman for Virgin Atlantic, told BBC News. |
| "We have said before we are interested in forming a consortium... It doesn't mean we will put forward all the money or some of the money, or necessarily Easyjet," he said. | "We have said before we are interested in forming a consortium... It doesn't mean we will put forward all the money or some of the money, or necessarily Easyjet," he said. |
| "What it does mean, there would be a group of interested parties who we are talking to who would come together, input their own expertise into owning and operating Gatwick Airport," he said. | "What it does mean, there would be a group of interested parties who we are talking to who would come together, input their own expertise into owning and operating Gatwick Airport," he said. |
| A combination of the airlines' customer service expertise and the backing of financial institutions would be a "marriage made in heaven", he said. | A combination of the airlines' customer service expertise and the backing of financial institutions would be a "marriage made in heaven", he said. |
| Gatwick had been "starved" of investment because BAA had concentrated on Heathrow, he said, adding that if the bid succeeded, the airport would be much more customer-focused. | Gatwick had been "starved" of investment because BAA had concentrated on Heathrow, he said, adding that if the bid succeeded, the airport would be much more customer-focused. |
| But Easyjet denied that it was in talks to buy Gatwick. | |
| "We are not forming or fronting a consortium and there is no suggestion that we would contribute financially to any bid," said easyjet's Andrew McConnell. | |
| He said that, at the most, the airline was considering offering an as-yet unidentified bidder some sort of long-term commitment on capacity at the airport to enable them to evaluate their bid. | |
| Several firms are said to be interested in buying Gatwick. Potential bidders include Australian company Macquarie, Germany's Fraport, and the owners of Manchester airport. | Several firms are said to be interested in buying Gatwick. Potential bidders include Australian company Macquarie, Germany's Fraport, and the owners of Manchester airport. |
| BAA, which is owned by Ferrovial of Spain, also operates Heathrow and Stansted, as well as airports at Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen in Scotland, and Southampton in southern England. | BAA, which is owned by Ferrovial of Spain, also operates Heathrow and Stansted, as well as airports at Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen in Scotland, and Southampton in southern England. |