COMPETITION chiefs today signalled the break-up of BAA’s UK airport empire by proposing the company cease running two of its three London airports – Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted.
The Competition Commission (CC) also recommends that Spanish-owned British Airports Authority lose control of either Edinburgh or Glasgow airport.
In a preliminary report, the CC said there were competition problems at each of BAA’s seven UK airports “with adverse consequences for passengers and airlines”.
The CC report is part of a consultation that should see a final report on BAA’s airport ownership at the end of the year.
The recommendation at this stage effectively means that BAA will have to give up running Gatwick and Stansted.
BAA also runs Southampton and Aberdeen airports.
BAA chief executive Colin Matthews said: “By calling not just for a fundamental restructure of BAA but also for a review of the Government’s air transport White Paper, the commission risks delaying the delivery of new runways and making better customer service less, not more, likely.”
