Transport committee: BAA breakup needed

Tuesday, 22, Apr 2008 12:00

MPs on the transport committee made clear last month their belief that British airports operator BAA should be broken up.

Their report on BAA concluded the drawbacks of having the same operator for London's three main airports "outweigh the disadvantages" and added there is "much to be gained" from diminishing BAA's "substantial market power".

"The extent to which BAA needs chivvying along by the regulator reflects poorly on their avowed commitment to service quality," MPs concluded.

Gwyneth Dunwoody, who died last week, said she believed the "chronic shortage of capacity" was not being helped by BAA at present.

"Ending BAA's common ownership will encourage airports to compete for traffic," she commented.