Airlines are celebrating the imminent sale of London Stansted and one of two Scottish airports by operator BAA, saying that the break-up of the company’s airport monopoly will lead to lower prices and improved services for air passengers.
BAA has been ordered to sell off Stansted and either Edinburgh or Glasgow airport by the Competition Commission (CC), and airlines such as Ryanair are pushing the government to hurry along the sale. Ryanair has been vocal in its criticism of the high charges BAA has demanded from carriers operating from London Stansted and in a statement the Irish airline said BAA had overcharged airlines “to generate excess monopoly profits, while losing more routes and traffic.”
Ryanair claimed that BAA had doubled carrier charges over the past five years, causing significant reductions in passenger traffic and cuts in services from the London hub. easyJet also welcomed the latest step by the CC to enforce its decision to make BAA sell airports, although in less strident terms than Ryanair.
“The sale of Stansted and either Glasgow or Edinburgh should encourage more timely, well designed and cost effective investment, which will improve service quality and lower charges,” commented easyJet’s UK director Paul Simmons. Budget carrier Skyscanner also welcomed the possibility of greater competition between airports in the UK.
“We’re optimistic that these additional airport sell-offs will mean better value and greater choice for travellers, which will further increase the popularity of regional airports,” said Skyscanner’s chief executive Gareth Williams.
Having already been forced to sell off Gatwick, BAA said it was “dismayed” at the order to sell off two more airports, and is set to mount a final legal challenge against the ruling.
Leave a Response