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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Regulator orders sale of airports | Regulator orders sale of airports |
| (19 minutes later) | |
| The Competition Commission has confirmed the break-up of airports operator BAA and ordered the sale of Gatwick and Stansted. | The Competition Commission has confirmed the break-up of airports operator BAA and ordered the sale of Gatwick and Stansted. |
| In the final report of its two-year investigation, the commission also told BAA that it must also sell either Edinburgh or Glasgow airport. | In the final report of its two-year investigation, the commission also told BAA that it must also sell either Edinburgh or Glasgow airport. |
| It has looked into BAA's dominance over airports in Scotland and the south-east of England; BAA owns a total of seven. | It has looked into BAA's dominance over airports in Scotland and the south-east of England; BAA owns a total of seven. |
| BAA responded to the findings by saying the commission's analysis was "flawed". | |
| Increasing competition | |
| In its provisional decision published in December, the commission said the lack of competition between airports owned by BAA was detrimental to passengers. | In its provisional decision published in December, the commission said the lack of competition between airports owned by BAA was detrimental to passengers. |
| 2008 PASSENGER NUMBERS AT BAA AIRPORTS Heathrow: 66.9 millionGatwick: 34.2 millionStansted: 22.3 millionEdinburgh: 9.0 millionGlasgow: 8.1 millionAberdeen: 3.3 millionSouthampton: 2.0 million Source: BAA annual report | |
| The regulator has ordered that the airports be sold within two years. | |
| The airports must also be sold in sequence, starting with Gatwick, followed by Stansted, and then finally either Edinburgh or Glasgow. | |
| The sale of Gatwick is already under way and possible buyers are being vetted. | |
| The regulator said its move was the "only way to address comprehensively the detriment to passengers and airlines from the complete absence of competition between BAA's south-east airports and between Edinburgh and Glasgow". | |
| The sale of these airports will "kick-start a process of competitive rivalry from a standing start where today there is no competition at all," it added. |