New Gatwick airport owners promise improvements

Monday, 26th October 2009

The new owners of Gatwick airport, Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), have promised a string of improvements for the London airport.

BAA sold the airport to GIP after the Competition Commission ordered it to sell Gatwick, Stansted and either Edinburgh or Glasgow airports.

GIP already own and operate London Luton airport. The sale of Gatwick to the London Luton owners was hailed by several prominent figures in the travel industry, including Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary, who has said that is it crucial for Britain's aviation and tourism industries for high-cost monopolies to be broken up.

ATBA's chief executive, Mark Tanzer also welcomed the move, but added that the new owners of Gatwick should be subject to proper and efficient ongoing regulation, to ensure that Gatwick airport receives the levels of investment and performance required by a modern airport. He has pointed out that lack of capacity at London's Gatwick airport would be bad for the customers, the industry and the environment as well.

Gatwick's new owners have already promised to modernise the airport, and to cut queues by extending the North terminal to accommodate five million travellers. GIP has promised a better experience overall, for business and leisure travellers passing through the airport.

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