Post by Humberside on Aug 13, 2008 13:39:25 GMT
Can't see ABZ being sold reducing competition issues with are mainly in lowland scotland, but anyway heres an article about ABZ possibly being sold
www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/785357?UserKey=0
www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/785357?UserKey=0
BAA’s near-monopoly of Scottish airports is about to be brought to an end with an order to sell Aberdeen or one of its two other Scottish airports.
The Competition Commission is also widely expected to compel BAA’s Spanish owner Ferrovial to divest itself of one of its three London airports among provisional recommendations expected next week.
It follows the commission’s report earlier this year which warned the monopoly “may not be serving well the interests of either airlines or passengers” and which accused BAA of using its Aberdeen terminal as a cash cow – investing millions of pounds of profit generated in the north-east elsewhere.
It said that over 20 years BAA had taken £187million out of Aberdeen Airport and invested £69million back, with evidence that “cash generated at Aberdeen is used elsewhere in the group, rather than being invested in the facilities at Aberdeen”.
Current speculation does not single out Aberdeen as one of the two airports expected to be named in the report – and some sources suggested Edinburgh as a more likely target
But the report has set alarm bells ringing.
Aberdeen North SNP MSP Brian Adam said: “I cannot imagine Aberdeen would be the one BAA would be told to sell off, but even if it did I would have no fears for future services.”
He said travellers would be more concerned about the availability of take-off and landing rights at Heathrow and warned the greatest danger would be uncertainty over future investment plans.
Aberdeen South Labour MP Anne Begg said BAA had invested in Aberdeen over the last two years, citing a revamped departures area. She said whether a sale would be good or bad would depend on the buyer.
Gordon Liberal Democrat MP Malcolm Bruce said if the commission was serious about increasing competition it would put Edinburgh or Glasgow up for sale rather than Aberdeen.
North-east Tory MSP Alex Johnstone warned: “Any changes in the management of Aberdeen Airport would be destabilising.”
Neither the commission nor Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce were prepared to comment on speculation.
A spokesman for BAA Scotland said yesterday: “By any measure, whether in terms of route development, record levels of investment or high levels of customer service, we believe we have shown that BAA’s stewardship of the three Scottish airports has been, and continues to be, best for Scotland.”
The Competition Commission is also widely expected to compel BAA’s Spanish owner Ferrovial to divest itself of one of its three London airports among provisional recommendations expected next week.
It follows the commission’s report earlier this year which warned the monopoly “may not be serving well the interests of either airlines or passengers” and which accused BAA of using its Aberdeen terminal as a cash cow – investing millions of pounds of profit generated in the north-east elsewhere.
It said that over 20 years BAA had taken £187million out of Aberdeen Airport and invested £69million back, with evidence that “cash generated at Aberdeen is used elsewhere in the group, rather than being invested in the facilities at Aberdeen”.
Current speculation does not single out Aberdeen as one of the two airports expected to be named in the report – and some sources suggested Edinburgh as a more likely target
But the report has set alarm bells ringing.
Aberdeen North SNP MSP Brian Adam said: “I cannot imagine Aberdeen would be the one BAA would be told to sell off, but even if it did I would have no fears for future services.”
He said travellers would be more concerned about the availability of take-off and landing rights at Heathrow and warned the greatest danger would be uncertainty over future investment plans.
Aberdeen South Labour MP Anne Begg said BAA had invested in Aberdeen over the last two years, citing a revamped departures area. She said whether a sale would be good or bad would depend on the buyer.
Gordon Liberal Democrat MP Malcolm Bruce said if the commission was serious about increasing competition it would put Edinburgh or Glasgow up for sale rather than Aberdeen.
North-east Tory MSP Alex Johnstone warned: “Any changes in the management of Aberdeen Airport would be destabilising.”
Neither the commission nor Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce were prepared to comment on speculation.
A spokesman for BAA Scotland said yesterday: “By any measure, whether in terms of route development, record levels of investment or high levels of customer service, we believe we have shown that BAA’s stewardship of the three Scottish airports has been, and continues to be, best for Scotland.”