Airport operation: Competition Commission orders break-up of BAA

In its final report on BAA's ownership of seven UK airports, the Competition Commission has ordered the airport operator to sell Gatwick and Stansted as well as either Edinburgh or Glasgow within two years.

The sale of Gatwick was initiated by BAA in September 2008 and the sales process is already underway. Stansted will follow, and then either Edinburgh or Glasgow. In addition, the Competition Commission is recommending to the airports' regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), that it should take certain specified action at Heathrow, the UK's only hub airport, in relation to service quality and dialogue with airlines.